Most people think they\u2019re good drivers. However, even if your driving record is squeaky clean, or have a dent and ding-free car, chances are, you\u2019ve picked up a few bad driving habits along the way. Don\u2019t feel bad. A lot of drivers make common driving mistakes and don\u2019t know it. Let\u2019s talk about common driving mistakes and how you can avoid them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether you\u2019re 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\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stalling a manual transmission is easy, especially if you\u2019re new to driving a stick shift or haven\u2019t driven one in a while. The transmission may stall if the clutch is worn out, or you\u2019re stuck at a red light on a steep hill. Whatever the reason, it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your vehicle has a manual transmission, you know that occasionally missing shifts or grinding gears isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although metal on metal may sound funny, you don\u2019t want to make missing gears while shifting a habit because you could cause premature wear and tear on your vehicle\u2019s transmission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019t want to be the driver that backs up an entire intersection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s easy to lose track of your surroundings when you\u2019re waiting at a red light, so it\u2019s not uncommon for you to become hyper-focused on something else. The moment that you notice the light is green, you\u2019re ready to take off, not realizing that the vehicle in front of you hasn\u2019t moved. Unless you\u2019re the first vehicle, you don\u2019t want to take off from the red light like you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s safety systems. Even if you have blind spot monitoring in your vehicle, you need to properly check your car\u2019s mirrors to help you monitor your blind spots. Check your blind spots before switching lanes and before turning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019re ready to take off from the pump. Make sure you put your gas cap back on your vehicle and that it\u2019s screwed on tightly, and that you have your credit\/debit card. Don\u2019t leave your drink on top of the car! You\u2019d be surprised how rushing makes you forget things that you wouldn\u2019t normally forget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ve probably witnessed it thousands of times. A driver pulls into the gas station and has a confused look on their face because they don\u2019t remember which side their gas tank is on. They get back in the car and pull around to the other side. It\u2019s easy to forget which side a car\u2019s gas tank is on, especially if you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019re running errands instead of waiting until the low fuel warning light illuminates. Waiting until your vehicle\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s dropping to the ground. The oils that accumulate on the road are brought to the street\u2019s surface, which creates a slick layer on the road that negatively impacts your tire\u2019s traction. Decrease your speed so it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You don\u2019t 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\u2019re not reaching your destination faster. Luckily, this isn\u2019t a habit that is too difficult to break. Practice driving more smoothly and gradually applying pressure on the pedals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using your turn signal as you are turning is not good driving etiquette. It\u2019s important to let other drivers know that you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, signaling too early can also be an issue. Giving more notice to other drivers that you\u2019re turning isn\u2019t 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\u2019s time for you to turn, drivers won\u2019t have proper notice, and you could cause an accident. Remember that you want to be a predictable driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019re comfortable. You don\u2019t 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\u2019t put yourself in a position that makes you hold your arms at weird angles or a position that makes visibility a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Distracted driving is dangerous, and that\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you\u2019re rushing, you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re venturing to a new destination and aren\u2019t 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\u2019re in a rush will cause you to make simple mistakes that can have detrimental results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On hot days, make sure you have enough water. Staying hydrated is important. You may not realize you\u2019re dehydrated until it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you\u2019re driving, always be aware of traffic signs, such as \u201cone way\u201d or \u201cdo not enter\u201d signs, especially if you\u2019re traveling in an unfamiliar area. You don\u2019t want to turn down a one-way street into oncoming traffic, which can result in a head-on collision!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s an awesome feeling when you park perfectly on the first try. It may be annoying to make multiple attempts to park, especially if you\u2019re holding up traffic, or the onlookers watching you. The truth is, that parallel parking doesn\u2019t come easy for most drivers. If you\u2019re struggling with parallel parking, don\u2019t let it get you down! Start practicing on quiet side streets. You\u2019ll be surprised at how much easier parallel parking will become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your vehicle doesn\u2019t have automatic headlights, you\u2019ll need to remember to turn on your headlights. It\u2019s easy to forget to turn on your headlights because your eyes automatically adjust to the change, and most of the time, you don\u2019t realize it. Sometimes drivers will flash their headlights at you to tell you your headlights aren\u2019t on. The headlights need to be on whenever there isn\u2019t enough adequate daylight. Your headlights should also be on during foggy and rainy conditions so you remain visible to other drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most drivers use their high beams more often than they need to. Your car\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s laws. Be on the lookout for pedestrians and be prepared to stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, be aware and stay alert if you\u2019re approaching a busy intersection. There may be vehicles in front of you that are required to stop for pedestrians that you can\u2019t see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How you respond to emergency vehicles depends on where you are and what you\u2019re 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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019re making some of these mistakes, you can work on not doing them to make the road safer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Most people think they\u2019re good drivers. However, even if your driving record is squeaky clean, or have a dent and ding-free car, chances are, you\u2019ve picked up a few bad driving habits along the way. Don\u2019t feel bad. A lot of drivers make common driving mistakes and don\u2019t know it. Let\u2019s talk about common driving […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n