12 Driving Habits that Can Endanger Your Life

1. Texting And Driving

 Texting while driving is fast replacing driving under the influence of alcohol as the major cause of car accidents. According to the United State’s National Safety Council, texting while driving makes drivers eight times more likely to be involved in a crash. So, ensure to delay texting until you get to your destination, or simply park and then send the SMS or text message.

2. Tailgating

Tailgating is when a vehicle driver drives, especially at top speed, very close to the car ahead of it. The distance between two vehicles in a tailgate situation are usually too close for safety. To be assure of your safety, avoid tailgating by driving at least two car lengths from the vehicle ahead of you.

3. Driving under the influence

Driving under the influence, or DUI, is one of the most dangerous driving habits. Drugs and alcohol impair judgment and perception, increase reaction time, and reduce coordination – making a DUI one of the most dangerous driving habits. So, if you must drive, avoid any form of intoxicant.

4. Not using your turn lights

Making sudden turns into corners, or changing lanes without indicating your intention, is a dangerous driving habit. Before you change lanes or turn into corners, ensure to indicate this to other motorists by using your turn lights.

5. Using headphone while driving

Driving is a sensitive activity. To be safe while driving, it requires all your senses to be at full alert. Ambient sounds can inform of a driver of likely dangers. Also, honking by co-motorists can also serve to inform us of possible dangerous situations. However, when a driver’s ears are plugged, chances of the driver getting an alert on possible danger becomes very slim.

6. Running the red light

When the red light comes up on you, it instantly gives the traffic at an intersection or at the opposite lane the right of way. So other vehicles in that lane generally assumes that there would be no interruption to their flow. So, when you beat the red light, you create a chance of a head on collision with a car in the opposite lane.

7. Daydreaming

When your mind wanders off when driving, it create a lack of attention on the road. This could have fatal consequence.

8. Driving against traffic

Driving against traffic, or taking “One way”, puts a vehicle driver at risk of a head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle in that lane.

9. Attending to children

While you are driving, children in cars tend to crave for attention. They throw tantrums and engage in activities to get your attention. All these can distract one from focusing ahead of them. Giving children attention while not focusing on the road ahead poses a dangerous driving risk.

10. Over-speeding Driving faster than the acceptable speed limits can be a great source of danger. Over-speeding makes controlling the car, especially when there is a need to come to a sudden halt, difficult.

 11. Aggressive Driving

Driving aggressively and not yielding the right of way to other users can also have fatal consequences to the driver and other motorists and pedestrians.