You may spend a lot of time on the road commuting to work, driving kids to and from school or practice, or enjoying an adventurous road trip. Driving is safe when you follow the rules, but can quickly turn dangerous when you get into bad driving habits on the road. Learn to avoid these six bad habits to avoid a collision.
Texting
In some states, texting while driving is illegal. And for good reason! Well-meaning drivers may look down to send a quick text and not see a merging car or a stop sign. It’s easy to get distracted while perusing social media, and pretty soon your eyes are on your phone more than the road. Make it a habit to put your phone in your purse or the back seat to remove temptation.
Speeding
We’re all guilty of speeding at one point or another. It’s relatively easy to do if you live in an area where driving 10 miles over the speed limit is considered slow. However, excessive speeding causes collisions which leave debris on the road and your car in a jam.
Rushing Through Yellow Lights
If you’re the type who speeds up when they see a yellow light 100 feet away, it’s time to rethink your habits. You may speed up to catch a light before it turns red, but the driver in front of you may decide to stop. Avoid a collision with them by preparing to stop, as well.
You can also avoid problems with opposing traffic when you heed the yellow light. For example, if you speed up to follow the car in front of you on a left turn light, the car coming the opposite way might think the car in front of you is the last one. This can cause a collision that totals your car. When this happens, call the police and a tow truck right away to get the car out of the middle of the road and prevent further problems.
Not Signaling Properly
Avoid problems with surrounding drivers by constantly signaling when it’s necessary. You may think it’s not a big deal to simply get into the next lane without using blinkers, but the car in the other lane might have different ideas. Avoid a collision while merging or a bumper tap with proper signals.
Not Checking Blind Spots
You might use your signals often but forget to check your blind spots. These days, crazy drivers are everywhere and can speed up on you in milliseconds. Check thoroughly before you merge into another lane to avoid issues.
Tailgating
Tailgating is a stress-relieving way to show the car in front of you that you’re annoyed at their driving skills. However, when you follow a car extremely close like that, you set yourself up for collisions and purposeful brake checking from the driver in front of you. Be smart and simply pass them in another lane.
Follow these six tips and stay safe on the road. If you do happen to get into a collision, call a towing company to safely remove your car. Even if it’s something minor, it’s better to have a professional take a look than try to drive a car that is damaged. A blown tire can cause a collision, or it can cause you to veer off the road. Call a company that offers tire service in Big Lake if you have trouble on the road.