Driving Habits That Can Lead to Accidents
Obviously, driving is risky – but so many people underestimate just how risky. A lot of accidents happen because of avoidable mistakes. Read this list carefully, and make sure you don’t do any of these 15 things. They’re important for both your safety and the safety of everyone around you on the road.
Using Your Phone While Driving
Texting, scrolling, or even glancing at your phone while driving is – let’s not mince words here – deeply stupid and thoughtless. When you’re on your phone your reaction time drops drastically, and you’re not fully aware of what’s happening around you. Don’t be a potential killer on the roads.
Not Using Turn Signals
Skipping your turn signals might seem minor, but it’s a big deal to other drivers. Signals give people time to adjust, merge, or yield. Without them, you’re basically playing a guessing game with everyone around you, which can lead to accidents and a lot of road rage.
Weaving Between Lanes
Switching lanes aggressively or without signaling makes traffic unpredictable. It’s tempting to speed past slower cars, but it drastically increases the chance of sideswipes or collisions. Remember this behind the wheel if you remember nothing else: a good driver is a predictable driver.
Grabbing Something Out of Reach
Ever dropped your sunglasses or water bottle and tried to snag it while driving? That split-second lunge can turn into a full-blown accident. Taking your eyes off the road, even briefly, reduces your reaction time dramatically – and yes, people have died in accidents caused by a simple attempted grab.
Driving With a Child or Pet on Your Lap
Having a dog or, worse, a child on your lap while driving is incredibly unsafe. Both can distract you or interfere with your steering. In an accident, they’re at higher risk of serious injury, and you might lose control trying to protect them.
Tailgating
Riding too close to the car in front is a major accident risk. Even a small slowdown can turn into a crash if you don’t have enough space to react. Always maintain a safe distance – you should have learned this in your very first days of driving lessons.
Driving Loads That Aren’t Fixed Properly
Are you hauling items in your car or truck? Make sure they’re secured. Loose items can obstruct your view, for a start, or they can fly out in an accident, injuring you or others. Even a small box sliding off the seat can cause you to jerk the wheel.
Eating While Driving
It’s not as bad as some of the other things on this list, but eating while driving is still a bad idea. Your eyes leave the road, your hands aren’t fully on the wheel, and your focus is ruined. Spills of hot food or drink can make you jerk the wheel or brake suddenly, leading to accidents that could have been avoided if you’d just pulled over.
Driving With Headphones
Listening to music or a podcast is fine… on the car radio, not in headphones. With headphones on, you could very well miss horns, shouts, and emergency vehicle warnings. Basically you’re blocking out one of your most important senses while doing something dangerous.
Driving While Fatigued
Drowsy driving is more dangerous than you might think… in fact, in some cases it could be deadly. If you’re tired, pull over and if needs be take a quick nap. It’s way safer than risking an accident that could change lives forever.
Ignoring Blind Spots
Failing to check blind spots before merging or changing lanes leads to hundreds of accidents. Mirrors don’t catch everything, and a car hiding there can appear in a split second. Always glance over your shoulder, especially in heavy traffic.
Driving Over the Speed Limit
We’ve all done it, but speeding is a leading cause of accidents. The faster you go, the less time you have to react, and crashes become far more severe. Even a short burst above the limit can put everyone on the road at risk… and that includes children, who are often at the forefront of anti-speeding ads.
Driving Well Below the Speed Limit
And on the other end of the spectrum…going too slow can be just as dangerous as speeding. Other drivers may swerve around you or slam on brakes unexpectedly, causing collisions. Roads are designed for a reasonable flow and you need to remember that at all times.
Driving Under the Influence
Driving under the influence will rightly get you arrested – there have been so, so many lives lost due to selfish drinking or drug-taking. Taking a substance before you drive doesn’t just risk your own life, it puts everyone else on the road in danger. Don’t make a mistake you’ll regret for the rest of your life.
