What Are The Most Common Driving Mistakes?

No one wants to be involved in a car accident. Unfortunately, accidents are a regular occurrence and many of them are caused by human errors. While there are drivers who do not realize the error of their ways, there are some who do and continue to make the same mistakes, oblivious to the dangers they face while driving.

In 2016, the Center For Disease Control And Prevention reported over 2,350 teen fatalities and more than 280,000 injuries from an auto crash caused by human error. In other words, six drivers were killed, and hundreds more were injured in road accidents each day.

People drive above the speed limit, text, and make many other mistakes while driving, probably out of learned behavior, indifference, or lack of awareness. Whatever the case may be, the safety risks remain the same.

Driving Mistakes That Can Put You In Danger

A large percentage of road accidents happen due to common driving mistakes. The following are some of the most common mistakes drivers make:

1. Using A Cell Phone While Behind The Wheel

Texting while driving is considered one of the most dangerous driving mistakes as it’s distracting and not limited to any particular age group. As harmless as replying to a text may seem, even a quick 4-second glance at the phone can have severe repercussions.

There’s no telling what can happen within those few seconds of taking your hands off the steering wheel and averting your gaze from the road.

For instance, a pedestrian might attempt to cross the road, thinking you’re paying attention to the road to your environment, or a parked vehicle might suddenly pull out in front of your car. Knowing how quickly conditions can change while driving, it’s advisable to do away with your cell phone and other electronic gadgets before driving.

2 Driving Above Posted Speed Limits

Speeding remains one of the deadliest and most prevalent driving mistakes. Sometimes, people who drive above the speed limit do not even realize how fast they’re going until they get pulled over or crash their vehicles. Teenagers and newly licensed drivers tend to be more guilty of this nasty habit than older and more experienced drivers.

This puts them at an even greater risk of being involved in road accidents since they are less likely to know when to decelerate to avoid crashing into oncoming cars and because of their slower reaction time when in emergency situations.

3. Impulsive Behavior

Impulsiveness is not at all limited to teenagers; when this negative trait is exhibited, the consequences can be rather severe. Impulsive drivers tend to disregard traffic regulations when they deem them inconvenient.

Such drivers are likely to ignore traffic lights when running late and road rage if provoked by other drivers, both of which can cause them to sustain serious injuries or land them in jail.

4. Not Wearing A Seatbelt And Bad Seating Position

This is one of the biggest mistakes anyone can make while driving. It’s not only against safety laws to drive without wearing seatbelts but also hazardous as it’s nearly impossible to predict when an accident might happen.

Seatbelts prevent injuries and help save lives, so always remember to put yours on before driving and sit upright to notice blind spots.

5. Not Adapting To Weather Conditions

Nowadays, most cars come with advanced safety features and improved braking systems. However, a certain skill level is still required to avoid road accidents. Some of such skills include knowing how to spot and react to black ice, how to regain control of your vehicle when hydroplaning on wet roads and when to pull over when driving in adverse weather conditions.

One very absurd mistake many drivers make is assuming that their vehicles can automatically detect and adjust to weather conditions.

6. Hard Braking Without Warning

Flooring the brakes for no good reason when driving on busy highways is a recipe for disaster. Stopping your vehicle abruptly will most likely cause other motorists behind you to crash into your car or swerve out of control. Therefore, give other drivers a heads up before braking by indicating using your stop signals and always maintaining a safe distance between your own car and other cars.

7. Leaving High Beams On And Not Using Turn Signals

This critical safety feature is mainly intended for night-time driving on roads without streetlights. Using your car’s headlights for no reason can distract drivers ahead and even cause them to crash, especially on roads with low visibility.

Also, ensure to slow down and use your turn signal or stop signal before a lane change, when turning, crossing multiple lanes, or coming to a complete stop when you’re at a stop sign or yellow light.

8. Not Stopping At Pedestrian Crossings And School Zones

When driving on roads with heavy traffic, make sure to turn on your hazard lights to alert drivers behind that you’re about to stop. Also, be ready to stop for pedestrians and children when approaching intersections and school areas. There might be other vehicles waiting at the intersection when there’s heavy traffic, so you might want to slow down.

9. Improper Use Of Mirrors

Side mirrors are intended for drivers to be able to see vehicles behind and alongside them, not for decoration or to reflect the vehicles they’re fitted on. Improper positioning of side and rear mirrors can be very dangerous when switching lanes.

To have a good view of your surroundings and eliminate blind spots, keep both side mirrors wide enough to the point where they barely reflect the sides of your vehicle. As for your inside mirror, keep it in a straight position so that you can easily see the rear of your car without having to glance backward.

10. Driving Slowly Or Refusing To Move At A Green Light

It can be quite aggravating having to wait for a driver in front to move when traffic lights are green. Make sure to watch traffic lights closely, especially while waiting at large intersections when there’s heavy traffic. No one likes to wait for an extended period after a standstill, especially when there’s no actual reason for it.

11. Taking Up Two Car Lengths When Changing Lanes

Some drivers make turns wide enough to take up two lanes. This unnecessary use of space can lead to a collision when there is an oncoming vehicle. The right way to turn a corner is to start in your own lane while indicating with your turn signals that you’re about to switch from the passing lane to other lanes.

Conclusion

Countless road accidents could have been avoided if only the drivers knew the safe driving practices and steered clear of the bad habits listed above. If you’ve intentionally or subconsciously made any of the driving mistakes listed above, now is your chance to get things right.