Let's be real for a moment. The biggest fear every driver has on the road isn't their own driving ability, fast speed limits, or taking exits on the highway: it's other drivers. Poor driving etiquette has run rampant on the streets in recent years, turning even the safest back alleys into potential disaster zones.
Although most drivers practice safe driving habits out of care for themselves and others on the road, there are always a few speed demons and reckless individuals who take things a step too far. And while there are many bad habits they should be fixing, we've listed some of their worst offenses.
Tailgating
There's never any justifiable reason as to why any driver should be just a few inches behind another moving car on the road. The practice of tailgating is a highly dangerous and reckless act that only increases the risk of a crash or accident; there's simply nothing good that comes out of doing such a careless maneuver.
And we know you can already guess who the typical culprits are: road ragers who easily get frustrated being behind a car going too slow for them, even if they're driving at the speed limit. By tailgating their target, they 'exert' their dominance by attempting to scare them into speeding up or changing lanes so that they're out of the way. As drivers who have experienced or seen this on the road, we can all agree that all this does is generate fear and rushed decision-making in the heat of the moment.
Because what tailgaters often don't realize are the consequences of their actions. What they're doing doesn't just impact themselves and the car in front of them, but it affects everyone else around them, too. What if the car in front panics and makes a risky lane change, only to lead to a potential accident because they rushed into it? What if causing the car in front to speed up changes the flow of traffic which others aren't prepared for?
In other words, tailgating is a completely selfish habit that only works to benefit one person without a care in the world for the safety of any other driver there.
Changing Lanes Without Signalling
Cars are built with left and right turn signals—use them. Whether you're taking a left or right turn or simply changing lanes, it's absolutely crucial that you always use your signals so that drivers behind and in front of you know what you're doing next. We know the Internet has popularized the meme, 'Never let them know your next move,' but when it comes to driving, this should never be the case.
And don't say that you 'forgot' to use your signals. Since we first started learning how to drive, these are skills that are deeply ingrained within us. As soon as you're about to make a move, it should be an instant reflex to turn on your left or right signal.
Because really, what it all boils down to is laziness. Drivers who think they can get away without signaling are either way too confident or too lazy to do an action that takes them a second at most. The handle is right behind the wheel for crying out loud! Yet by avoiding doing this, you've suddenly transformed yourself into the biggest hazard on the road. No driver around you knows what your next action might be, which only increases the risk of an accident.
Merging Slowly On The Highway
There's nothing more infuriating than drivers who creep slowly down the merge lane leading up to the highway. While you definitely shouldn't go from 0 to 80 mph within one second, you should, however, be gradually speeding up so that you can safely merge onto a road where cars are already driving at much higher speeds. Some people think going slowly and cautiously is the 'safe' thing to do, but in reality, it's the opposite.
One slow car in the merge lane is all it takes to build a long line of cars. And when you've got drivers trying to merge at 40 mph onto a highway with cars bolting down at 80 mph, what exactly do you think is going to happen? This unsafe practice puts everyone at risk, but the worst part of it is, people have no choice but to follow your lead because you're in front. Everyone behind you has to slow down, and all the cars on the highway suddenly need to brake to accommodate the sudden slowdown.
So if you're in charge of setting the pace, make sure you do it right and responsibly. People's lives are on the line!
