Statistics show that at least 1.25 million people die in car accidents annually in the United States. That means that more than three thousand people are dying daily in car crashes. In terms of injuries, more than 2 million were reported as a result of car crashes. Most accidents are caused by a variety of factors, but distractions and driver errors are among one the most common causes of collisions in the U.S.
Everyone has a bad driving habit, but if we all try to reduce the times we are guilty of them, we can prevent most car accidents caused by a split second error or mistake. You never know what is going to get in front of you while driving, so it’s best to avoid making these dangerous choices that could leave you or people around you injured.
Dangerous Habits
- Texting and Driving: This is the number one worst habit to take up while driving. Not only is this one of the biggest distractions, but it is the most dangerous. A split-second look to your phone can have serious results, in fact, taking your eyes off the road for 5 seconds is long enough to cover a football field.
- Eating and Driving: This is another habit that increases your chances of getting into a car accident. You are limited to using only one hand, and if you spill, you could take your eyes off the road and cause a serious crash. You can also be pulled over for this, so just try and avoid eating a full meal while on the road.
- Reaching for things: This could almost be as dangerous as texting and driving because your view of the road is altered and with one hand on the wheel, you could easily make a mistake and merge into another lane.
- Tail-gating: Not only is this extremely dangerous but it’s reckless. The rule of thumb is leaving at least one car distance away from the car in front of you. This all depends on the speed, if you are going faster than 55mph it is recommended to leave 16 cars of distance between yourself and the driver in front of you.
- Not using Turning Signals: This is a common habit many drivers have, and this can be dangerous, especially for motorcyclists. If a driver doesn’t spot a motorcyclist and they are merging without warning, it could result in a serious motorcycle accident. Not using your turn signal could also cause cars to suddenly stop or may cause a crash between a car wanting to merge at the same time, on the same lane. These collisions are always avoidable.
- Cutting cars off: Everyone can understand being in a hurry, however, cutting cars off as a go-to can be extremely hazardous. Cutting someone off can lead to sudden stops which lead to rear-end accidents. Your car may have been saved from a wreck but your actions can have repercussions to others on the road.
Even if you are guilty of these driving habits, there is always a chance to change the way you drive. Road accidents have become one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and if most of these accidents are preventable, it’s important to be aware of your actions. You should also be telling people you drive with to stop texting, stop tailgating, and stop the distractions in general.