Habits are hard to break but sometimes necessary—especially when it comes to the safety of you and others on the road. You may find yourself in a rut from many years of driving or taking the same routes every day. Let this be a reminder and wake-up call to correct these bad driving habits.
- Looking at your phone. Using your cell phone while driving is so tempting, but the text you’re about to send can wait. If you really need to use your phone pull over to a safe spot such as a parking lot. Despite your belief that you can multitask, you can only focus on one thing fully at a time.
- Not merging properly. When merging into traffic, you have to be considerate of the other drivers and do your best to match their speed so you can enter traffic without causing slowdowns or disruptions. Always use your turn signal to remind drivers of merging lanes.
- Speeding. Driving too fast is one of the biggest causes of car accidents. Leave extra time to reach your destination so you don’t feel like you have to rush.
- Tailgating. Follow the three-second rule. Give yourself three seconds’ worth of space between you and the car in front of you in case the other driver makes a sudden stop.
- Sudden stops. When you stop suddenly and don’t use your turn signal, you aren’t giving the drivers behind you enough time to react. Do them the courtesy of slowing down at a gradual pace rather than slamming on the brakes. Also, put on your turn signal before you begin to slow down.
- Driving drowsy. Driving drowsy can be almost as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. Your reaction time will be slower due to your decreased alertness. Avoid this by getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
- Not using your turn signal. Don’t be lazy, even if there is no one around, it’s good to get into the habit of using your turn signal every single time. Your job as a driver is to communicate to other drivers your intention. It is best to overcommunicate than to not communicate and get into an accident.
We know bad driving habits are hard to break, but these are important. We are all guilty of one of these bad habits at one point or another, but do your best to drive safely and correct these behaviors. Have another driver’s bad habits caused you to be involved in a car accident? Give us a call at (502) 583-6667 to schedule your free consultation.