Most people think they’re good drivers. However, even if your driving record is squeaky clean, or have a dent and ding-free car, chances are, you’ve picked up a few bad driving habits along the way. Don’t feel bad. A lot of drivers make common driving mistakes and don’t know it. Let’s talk about common driving mistakes and how you can avoid them.
Cutting Someone Off
Whether you’re trying to be malicious or not completely aware of your surroundings, cutting off another driver is bad driving etiquette and dangerous. One of the best things to be when you’re driving is predictable. Cutting off one driving can create a chain reaction of people swerving all over the road to avoid an accident. Before changing lanes, make sure there is a safe opening in traffic.
Stalling a Manual Transmission
Stalling a manual transmission is easy, especially if you’re new to driving a stick shift or haven’t driven one in a while. The transmission may stall if the clutch is worn out, or you’re stuck at a red light on a steep hill. Whatever the reason, it’s quite embarrassing to stall your vehicle when the light turns green, but it happens to the best of us, right? Shift your vehicle into neutral, turn off the ignition, turn it back on, and try again. Remember to stay calm and relax.
Missing Gears While Shifting
If your vehicle has a manual transmission, you know that occasionally missing shifts or grinding gears isn’t the worst thing that could happen. However, in the worst-case scenario, people in the vehicle next to you will hear the sound of metal-on-metal.
Although metal on metal may sound funny, you don’t want to make missing gears while shifting a habit because you could cause premature wear and tear on your vehicle’s transmission.
Sitting at a Green Light
Cue the road rage! Sitting at a green light will certainly anger some drivers. When you pull up to a red light, you know you have to wait a few seconds for the light to turn green again. However, you still need to pay attention to the traffic lights. You don’t want to be the driver that backs up an entire intersection.
Not Being Aware of Your Surroundings
It’s easy to lose track of your surroundings when you’re waiting at a red light, so it’s not uncommon for you to become hyper-focused on something else. The moment that you notice the light is green, you’re ready to take off, not realizing that the vehicle in front of you hasn’t moved. Unless you’re the first vehicle, you don’t want to take off from the red light like you’re at a drag race. Wait for the intersection to become clear and for the vehicle in front of you to start moving to avoid a rear-end collision.
Forgetting to Check Your Blind Spots
Most vehicles have four blind spots in the front, rear, and sides. More vehicles are being made with electronic blind-spot monitors as part of the vehicle’s safety systems. Even if you have blind spot monitoring in your vehicle, you need to properly check your car’s mirrors to help you monitor your blind spots. Check your blind spots before switching lanes and before turning.
Rushing at the Pump
This may seem like a no-brainer, but take your time at the gas pump. Regardless of how late you are, or how upset or anxious the driver(s) are behind you who are waiting to get gas, make sure you’re ready to take off from the pump. Make sure you put your gas cap back on your vehicle and that it’s screwed on tightly, and that you have your credit/debit card. Don’t leave your drink on top of the car! You’d be surprised how rushing makes you forget things that you wouldn’t normally forget.
Forgetting Which Side the Gas Tank Is On
You’ve probably witnessed it thousands of times. A driver pulls into the gas station and has a confused look on their face because they don’t remember which side their gas tank is on. They get back in the car and pull around to the other side. It’s easy to forget which side a car’s gas tank is on, especially if you’re driving a rental car or a different household car. One way to determine which side the gas tank is on is by looking at the fuel gauge. There will be an arrow on one side of the gas tank icon, which indicates which side the gas tank is on.
Running Out of Gas
Running out of gas is more common than you think. If you have a hectic, busy schedule like most people, try to get into the habit of getting gas before or after work, or while you’re running errands instead of waiting until the low fuel warning light illuminates. Waiting until your vehicle’s gas tank is on its last drop of gas is not good for the car. Continuously allowing your vehicle to run on gas fumes damages the engine and the fuel pump.
Not Taking Proper Precautions in Inclement Weather
When it starts to rain, snow, sleet, or get windy, slow down. Rain, sleet, and snow make roads slippery during the first few minutes it’s dropping to the ground. The oils that accumulate on the road are brought to the street’s surface, which creates a slick layer on the road that negatively impacts your tire’s traction. Decrease your speed so it’s not difficult for you to maintain control of your vehicle. Make sure you give yourself enough room from the car in front of you so you can have extra time to react if there is poor visibility.
Putting the Pedals to the Metal
You don’t want to be the driver who slams the accelerator or the brakes. Putting the pedals to the metal wastes a ton of gas and destroys your brake pads. Believe it or not, you’re not reaching your destination faster. Luckily, this isn’t a habit that is too difficult to break. Practice driving more smoothly and gradually applying pressure on the pedals.
Signaling After the Fact
Using your turn signal as you are turning is not good driving etiquette. It’s important to let other drivers know that you’re turning before you make the turn. Use your turn signal before turning to give other drivers enough time to slow down, especially if you have to wait in traffic before you can turn.
Signaling Too Early
On the other hand, signaling too early can also be an issue. Giving more notice to other drivers that you’re turning isn’t always better. If you use your turn signal for a turn that is more than 3 blocks away, continuously passing by other turns, other drivers will assume that you accidentally turned on your turn signal. With this, when it’s time for you to turn, drivers won’t have proper notice, and you could cause an accident. Remember that you want to be a predictable driver.
Neglecting Standard Vehicle Maintenance
Standard vehicle maintenance can be considered a car ownership mistake instead of a driving mistake, but without standard vehicle maintenance, your vehicle will malfunction, making it unsafe to operate. Make sure you’re taking care of your car by replacing worn parts, checking and changing the fluids, and ensuring your vehicle is roadworthy. Neglecting to maintain your vehicle properly makes you and other drivers susceptible to unnecessary risks.
Neglecting to Make the Necessary Adjustments Before Driving
Before you hit the road, make sure the seat, steering wheel, and mirrors are adjusted so you can stay alert and aware of your surroundings. You also want to make sure you’re comfortable. You don’t want to be comfortable enough to fall asleep behind the wheel, but you do want to ensure that you are comfortable enough to safely operate the vehicle, so being comfortable yet focused is the goal. Don’t put yourself in a position that makes you hold your arms at weird angles or a position that makes visibility a problem.
Driving While You’re Distracted
Distracted driving is dangerous, and that’s an understatement. Paying attention to your phone and other electronic devices while driving is unnecessary. Understandably, you want to listen to your favorite tunes while driving, so create a playlist before you get in the car. By creating a playlist, you have all the songs you want to listen to without having to take your eyes off the road to change the song.
Talking on the phone while driving is also considered distracted driving. In some states, hands-free driving is allowed, so make sure your vehicle is equipped with this technology. However, even with hands-free technology, driving while talking on the phone can still be categorized as distracted driving.
Rushing
When you’re rushing, you’re not thinking clearly, and this is the time when accidents occur. If you know you have a busy day ahead of you, plan as much as possible to make the day easier. Give yourself as much of a headstart as possible, which will help prevent you from rushing.
If you’re venturing to a new destination and aren’t familiar with the route, leave the house at least 10-15 minutes early to give you time to find your way (without rushing). Driving when you’re in a rush will cause you to make simple mistakes that can have detrimental results.
Not Staying Hydrated
On hot days, make sure you have enough water. Staying hydrated is important. You may not realize you’re dehydrated until it’s too late. The most common signs of dehydration are dizziness, confusion, fatigue, and of course, thirst. Being dehydrated affects your concentration, which can lead to you making dangerous driving mistakes.
Not Being Aware or Alert on One-Way Streets
When you’re driving, always be aware of traffic signs, such as “one way” or “do not enter” signs, especially if you’re traveling in an unfamiliar area. You don’t want to turn down a one-way street into oncoming traffic, which can result in a head-on collision!
Using the Parking Brake After Excessive Braking or Hard Driving
Have you been traveling at high speeds or heavy braking? If so, avoid using the parking brake when you stop. The pressure created by the parking brake on the brake rotors can warp the rotors, which can lead to temporary brake failure. If your vehicle has a manual transmission, park the car in gear instead.
Less Than Great Parallel Parking Skills
It’s an awesome feeling when you park perfectly on the first try. It may be annoying to make multiple attempts to park, especially if you’re holding up traffic, or the onlookers watching you. The truth is, that parallel parking doesn’t come easy for most drivers. If you’re struggling with parallel parking, don’t let it get you down! Start practicing on quiet side streets. You’ll be surprised at how much easier parallel parking will become.
Forgetting to Turn On Your Headlights
If your vehicle doesn’t have automatic headlights, you’ll need to remember to turn on your headlights. It’s easy to forget to turn on your headlights because your eyes automatically adjust to the change, and most of the time, you don’t realize it. Sometimes drivers will flash their headlights at you to tell you your headlights aren’t on. The headlights need to be on whenever there isn’t enough adequate daylight. Your headlights should also be on during foggy and rainy conditions so you remain visible to other drivers.
Neglecting to Turn Off Your High Beams
Most drivers use their high beams more often than they need to. Your car’s high beams should only be used in rural areas on empty stretches of road and highway when there are no vehicles in front of you and little to no light.
If you’re using your high beams and you see a driver coming up on the other side of the road or highway, turn your high beams off because you could blind the other driver. Once the other car passes, you can use the high beams again.
Merging Into Traffic Too Early
Some drivers may agree that merging into traffic early is the polite thing to do. However, merging early into traffic is often inefficient. Zipper merging may be the best way to merge. This type of merging occurs when both lanes of traffic proceed to the merging point, and take turns.
States such as Minnesota and Washington have endorsed zipper merging, and results show that this type of merging is faster and safer. Zipper merging reduces congestion by up to 40% and many drivers are not forced to be aggressive to assume their position within the flow of traffic.
Failure to Yield to Pedestrians
The laws that pertain to pedestrians vary by state. However, at the very least, drivers are required to yield to pedestrians in marked crosswalks. Some state laws require motorists to come to a complete stop to allow pedestrians to safely cross the street. Make sure you understand your state’s laws. Be on the lookout for pedestrians and be prepared to stop.
Also, be aware and stay alert if you’re approaching a busy intersection. There may be vehicles in front of you that are required to stop for pedestrians that you can’t see.
Failing to Yield to Emergency Vehicles
How you respond to emergency vehicles depends on where you are and what you’re doing at the time, but regardless of these factors, you must signal and move to the side of the road. Keep in mind that other drivers must also move to the side of the road, so watch for cyclists, pedestrians, and other vehicles before moving over. Staying in the same lane the emergency vehicle is traveling is not an option. You have to move to the shoulder of the road or highway to clear a path for emergency vehicles. Try to stay calm because panicking can put many lives in danger, including yours!
Now that you know some of the most common driving mistakes and a few bad driving habits, you know what you need to avoid doing while driving. If you’re making some of these mistakes, you can work on not doing them to make the road safer.