Bad Habits Behind the Wheel
Ask any driver on the road, and they'll probably tell you they're great behind the wheel. But even experienced drivers have bad habits or make reckless decisions on the road, from speeding to forgetting shoulder checks, which can put them and others at serious risk. Wondering if you're a safe driver? Here are 20 bad driving habits you need to stop doing if you want to be considered one.
1. Speeding
Just because everyone on the road is guilty of doing this doesn't mean you should follow the crowd. And while you might think going 5-10 mph above the limit isn't that bad, there's a reason why speed kills: the faster you go, the less control you have. So, ease off the gas and stick to the posted maximum.
2. Driving Distracted
The second your eyes aren't on the road anymore, you can easily swerve out of control and cause an accident. In fact, driving distracted is six times more dangerous than driving under the influence. Your friend can wait until you arrive to get a reply, so don't text or call while driving.
3. Rolling Stops
A rolling stop is when you don't come to a complete stop at a stop sign; you simply slow down and then "roll" forward. But if you don't give yourself—and other road users—ample time to react and scan your surroundings, you could cause an accident you could've easily avoided. Make sure to always stop at the line for at least three seconds before you move forward.
4. Speeding Up on Yellow
If your first instinct is to speed up when you see the light turn yellow, you're not a safe driver. The only time you should go through the intersection on a yellow light is when you're going too fast to slow down in time. Otherwise, always slow down and stop whenever the light switches.
5. Forgoing Turn Signals
Even if you're on a left- or right-turn-only lane, you should still signal your intentions. Not doing so may encourage you to build bad habits on the road, and next time you might forgo it altogether, despite not being in a turn-only lane. This can cause road rage in other drivers, resulting in aggressive maneuvers, so always make sure to signal where your car is planning to go.
6. Tailgating
Tailgating leaves no room for you to safely stop if the car in front of you abruptly brakes. No matter if you're rushing somewhere or you're late for an appointment, following too closely behind someone isn't going to magically make traffic go faster. Always maintain a safe distance between you and other vehicles.
7. Driving Under the Influence
Even though texting while driving is considered more dangerous than driving under the influence according to the statistics, drunk driving is still deadly. You only need a small amount of alcohol or drugs to impair your judgment and reasoning, so even if you think you're "sober enough to drive," you're not. Call a friend to come pick you up, or take a taxi home.
8. Forgetting to Shoulder Check
When you forget to shoulder check, you have no idea what's going on in your blind spots. There could be another car, a cyclist, a pedestrian, or other road user, and it takes one wrong move to cause a serious or fatal accident. Every time you need to switch lanes, turn, or move your car in a different direction, always make sure to check your blind spots.
9. Reversing Without Checking Your Mirrors
The same goes for putting your car in reverse. Even though most modern vehicles are equipped with sensors and cameras that give you a good sense of your surroundings, you should still look behind you through the rear window and your side and rearview mirrors to make sure it's completely safe before you move.
10. Emotional Driving
Just as you shouldn't drive when you're under the influence or when distracted, you should also refrain from getting behind the wheel when you're angry or emotional. Driving when you're not in the right state of mind can make you more reckless and lengthen your reaction time, making it more likely for you to cause an accident.
11. Driving While Fatigued
You should also never drive when you feel tired. If you're having trouble staying awake, pull over to somewhere safe and take a nap. If you continue your journey, you could fall asleep at the wheel, swerve out of control, and cause a fatal accident.
12. Rubbernecking
Rubbernecking is when you can't help but be curious and stare at accidents on the road, which causes you to slow down and block traffic. It should go without saying that this isn't safe—your eyes should always be on the road in front of you—and even morbid.
13. Swerving In and Out of Lanes
Swerving in and out of lanes is just as bad as speeding, and the worst part is that people often do both. But since you have far less control over your vehicle the faster you go, criss-crossing between lanes is only going to increase your chances of causing an accident. Even if you're running late to a meeting, you have a responsibility to drive safely.
14. Keeping Your High Beams On
Your high beams should only be on if you're driving down dark rural roads with no lights to guide you, or when you're navigating through thick fog and conditions with reduced visibility. Keeping these bright lights on in any other situation will only blind other road users, which may cause accidents.
15. Driving Too Slow
Speed kills, but driving too slow is a no-no, too. When you're going way under the speed limit, you block traffic, which might cause congestion. It may also make others perform unsafe, aggressive maneuvers to get around you, such as illegal passing, which can be very dangerous.
16. Road Rage
Speaking of aggressive driving, another reason why you shouldn't get behind the wheel when you're angry or emotional is because this can easily spiral into road rage. You might honk excessively, yell at other road users, or perform other reckless maneuvers that could endanger you or other people. No matter how upset you are at something, make sure to always remain calm when driving.
17. Parking Carelessly or Illegally
If you park carelessly in a lot, blocking off other cars from taking the spaces beside you, you'll probably come back to an angry note—or worse. On top of that, parking illegally, such as stopping in a lane that prohibits parking, can impede traffic and cause road rage.
18. Forgoing Your Seatbelt
Modern vehicles will often make a persistent sound until you buckle yourself in, but if you choose to ignore this, you're only robbing yourself of safety. Think about it: if you need to brake suddenly, you could go flying out the windshield. So, even if you're just making a short trip around the bend or down the street, always remember to put your seatbelt on.
Alexandria Gilliott on Unsplash
19. Leaving Your Headlights Off
Your high beams should stay off unless you're in foggy conditions, but your headlights should always be turned on when driving in bad weather or at night. Just because you can see other road users doesn't mean they can easily see you, so always make sure to switch your lights on when dusk hits.
Eliel Frances Etruiste on Pexels
20. Disregarding Rules of the Road
From traffic signs to cyclist hand signals and knowing who has the right of way at stop signs, every driver should have the rules of the road memorized. Not only that, but these rules should always be followed diligently to ensure the safety of all road users. Remember, the key is to be a predictable driver, not an erratic or confusing one.
