If you’ve been driving for several years, you probably see yourself as being a good driver. But, over the years, we all pick up bad habits. Some may seem small; however, they can still be very dangerous. Often these habits form out of confidence or complacency. You may think that because you’ve driven in a certain way before without an accident, that you’re perfectly safe to carry on doing so. Often though, the reason that you’ve never been in an accident is down to pure chance. Are your driving habits putting you and other road users at risk? Do you need to review your driving?
Here are some bad habits that all drivers, whether new or experienced, need to cut out.
Drink Driving
We should all know that drink can impair your ability to control your vehicle. However, even drinking a small amount of alcohol seriously reduces your ability to react to hazards quickly. Some drivers believe they can handle a couple of drinks and be able to drive. These drivers are putting the lives of other road users at risk. Even after having legal action taken against them, 50 to 75 percent of suspended drunk drivers will continue driving. If you are planning on driving, don’t drink. Leave your car at home, or take public transport if you decide to go somewhere for a drink.
Tiredness
If you’ve had a long day, or you’ve spent a lot of time behind the steering wheel of your car, then you could be setting yourself up for a serious accident if you carry on driving when you’re tired. You may feel that you need to get home as quickly as you can. However, you should make sure that you take breaks on your journey as often as possible. This will help to improve your concentration. If possible, open a window and get some fresh air. Have a cup of coffee. And, ultimately, if you’re too tired to drive, stop somewhere, and sleep.
Using Your Phone When DrivingÂ
Be honest, how often do you use your phone when you’re driving? Many drivers will use their phones, believing that they’re still in control over their vehicles. Even looking away from the road for a split second or two may be all that it takes to miss seeing a hazard early enough to react to it. When you are driving your vehicle, you should not be reading or replying to messages. You should also not be using your handset to make calls. Not only are you breaking the law, but you’re also putting lives at risk. There is no phone call or message that could be so important that you’d put risk a serious accident to answer them.
Get used to using the AI and voice control functions on your phone and set it up to work through your car’s Bluetooth connector. Keep your phone in a cradle and make sure that you don’t touch it or look at it when you’re driving.