Top 8 driving mistakes to avoid at all costs
Not everybody can be a perfect driver on the road. The sheer number of variables, such as traffic rules, pedestrians, other vehicle owners, road conditions, and weather, means that even the most careful drivers make mistakes occasionally. On the other hand, certain driving habits can only be described as reckless, as they can land drivers, pedestrians, and other road users in danger. To avoid that, here are some driving mistakes everyone must try to avoid:
Driving slow in the passing lane
The high-speed passing lane is for the purpose its name suggests – for vehicles to overtake others and, basically, slam the throttle to get to their destination as soon as possible. Therefore, it is often referred to as a fast lane. Driving slowly on such lanes blocks the traffic and slows down everyone. More importantly, driving slowly on passing lanes can also result in vehicles tailgating each other and unavoidable collisions.
What’s more, frustrated drivers who cannot get a move on in the passing lane may end up over-speeding on the inside lane. To avoid such dangerous accident-prone scenarios, drivers must decide the lane to take based on the speed at which they are most comfortable driving their vehicle.
Under-using the turn signals
Not using the turn signals accounts for about 2 million yearly accidents. It is one of the worst driving mistakes one can make. Drivers often forget to use turn signals when they change lanes or make a U-turn in the middle of the road. As one can imagine, a vehicle making a sudden lane change or turn without warning can blindside every driver and pedestrian on the road and cause nasty collisions.
Therefore, one must regularize using turn indicators even if no vehicles are behind them. Also, making it a habit can help reduce accidents drastically and make the roads safer.
Tailgating vehicles
Tailgating occurs in some of the busiest and most traffic-heavy cities nationwide. Like the other entries on this list, this mistake can be avoided too. For example, one must leave good braking room behind the vehicle in front of them on the road to avoid broken bumpers and other accidents. Keeping a distance of at least three seconds from the vehicle in front can give people some much-needed reaction time to brake if the driver ahead suddenly stops. On rainy days or in lousy weather scenarios, the three-second rule becomes a five-second rule for more excellent safety.
Over-speeding
During peak hours, everyone is in a hurry to get to their destination. However, most people respect the speed limits on town roads and highways. However, a small percentage of drivers tend to drive fast and rashly. This endangers everybody on the road, like pedestrians, parked vehicles, moving vehicles, fruit and book stalls, and other road users.
One can leave home or the workplace about 20 to 30 minutes earlier to avoid over-speeding. This will account for the delays caused by the traffic on the road. More importantly, making this a habit will prevent the need for people to drive quickly and aggressively on the road.
Driving while tired or sleepy
One in every ten vehicle crashes is caused by fatigue or drowsiness. People who are sleep deprived or tired often get behind the wheel of their vehicle believing that they will drive safely. However, that could not be further away from the truth. To avoid such scenarios, one must sleep adequately at night before driving in the morning. If one feels tired on long drives, one can park their vehicle for a few hours to catch some valuable nap time. Driving on a busy street when one feels unwell, sleepy, or tired is one of the significant driving mistakes and must be avoided at all costs.
Leaving the high beams on permanently
High beams in a car’s headlamps illuminate poorly-lit roads during night-time. However, some drivers engage high beams even when the visibility is adequate. Doing this blinds the drivers coming from the other direction. Such situations can cause accidents.
Riding the brakes
Some inexperienced drivers keep their feet firmly on the brakes throughout the journey, and doing so can result in brakes getting worn out much sooner than their life cycle.
Stopping suddenly without warning
This driving mistake is the inverse of tailgating. Drivers need to warn vehicles behind them on the road before braking. More importantly, if someone needs to stop, they must use turn indicators before slowing down by the side of the road. This can prevent tailgating-related accidents.
