They can run from annoying to downright dangerous, and you’re probably guilty of at least one of these bad driving habits.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a teenager with a freshly minted driver’s license or you’ve been on the road for decades, chances are you’ve got at least a few bad driving habits. Some amount to little more than poor road etiquette while others are flat out illegal. Benjamin Franklin wrote: “Your net worth to the world is usually determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted from your good ones.” So, with that in mind, let’s do a little self-inventory math on our driving habits.
Both a matter of etiquette and safety, the speed you drive at should, at minimum, be safe for the conditions you’re encountering. Obviously, driving above the speed limit is by definition illegal, but driving too slowly can be too, at least on interstate highways. Excessive speed reduces your reaction time and that of other drivers trying to anticipate your movements, while also raising the stakes of any potential accident. Likewise, driving too slow for traffic can also be dangerous for you and other drivers.
Driving too slow or too fast is also a matter of good manners. Bogging down a lane of traffic is a surefire way to alienate your fellow drivers, so try to keep up. Speeding, especially when accompanied by weaving through traffic, is rude because it’s dangerous. Sure, you’re doing the automotive equivalent of elbowing people out of your way, but you’re also raising the risk of an accident. Plus, how many times have you seen people doing this only to come to a stop at the next stoplight right next to you.
And as a bonus, for all of you who need to slow down to a crawl in traffic when they are lost. Please, for heaven’s sake, just pull over and look at your map or navigation and figure out where you’re going.
Not the fun, beers and brats at the game tailgating, either. This is the following too close, not paying attention, and then rear-ending the car in front of you kind of tailgating. The worst form of this habit is being in a hurry and trying to get those in front of you to drive faster by driving too close to them. We get it, you’re super late for a very important meeting at your tanning salon/indoor golf business. But think how much later you’ll be if you crash your 2-Series into the back of a jacked-up, coal-rolling F-150 and have words with the heat packing driver. (See road rage entry below.)
If you’re not sure whether you’re following too closely, you probably are. Here’s our handy stopping distance formula for help.
It’s easy to take them for granted but there are a lot of countries where road signage is limited or non-existent on many roads. In fact, we’re very lucky to have transportation departments all over the nation helping us safely navigate. That’s why we all need to be in the habit of paying attention to those lines. No passing means no passing, not passing really quick cause your car is, like, crazy fast dude. It also means your lane is your lane and my lane is mine. Don’t assume other drivers will be happy about sharing both lanes with your Hummer.
All this goes double for parking lines. If the parking spot is too narrow for your hulking SUV, don’t take up two spots, park somewhere else and take a walk. And if you’re parallel parking, make sure to leave as much room as possible for other cars to park near you.
Another safety and etiquette overlap, the bad habit of not signaling is an easy one to get into, which makes it all the more pernicious. When there aren’t any cars nearby, why bother? Habit, that’s why. If you’ve not ingrained hitting the signal when you turn into your driving muscle memory, you’re an active menace on the road. Sure, it’s maybe just annoying when someone is waiting on a left turn at a stop light as you approach from the left and only at the last second signal your right turn. But for every one of those minor inconveniences there’s an unexpected lane change or sudden left turn into oncoming traffic. Signal, folks. It’s an easy habit to build.
Was this the one you thought of at the intro when I wrote that everyone has at least one bad driving habit? Sure, there’s eating or yelling at your kids to quit fighting in the back seat or fiddling with the AC, or all three at the same time, but the biggest driving distraction is by far our smart phones. Studies have shown looking at your phone while driving is as bad or worse than driving drunk. Today, texting while driving accounts for over 100,000 accidents annually in the US. Not only is this one highly dangerous, its illegal in many states and municipalities.
Thankfully, like cigarette smoking, not buckling up is becoming less and less common today. Even so, in rural America where I live, nearly all the dirt road traffic fatalities result from people not wearing seat belts. It’s also important to remember this one goes for your passengers, too. If you buckle up and your passenger doesn’t, in a crash they’re more likely to fly out of their seat and into you. Not fun.
Missed your exit? Didn’t realize this was your turn? Avoid enraging other drivers and potentially causing an accident by never, ever cutting people off. If you wouldn’t do it in the grocery store check-out line, don’t do it on the road.
We wrote a whole article on lane discipline, but it bears repeating: the left lane is for passing. Driving on the highway in the left lane clogs traffic and is potentially dangerous as drivers attempt to pass you on your right. A related bad habit is cruising in the carpool lane alone or with an inflatable doll in your passenger seat. No Dave, it is not funny…or at least not the second time.
You knew we’d get to it eventually. Driving drunk or otherwise inebriated is about as bad as a bad driving habits get. Piloting a ton or more of steel at speed should be done sober or not at all. If someone has to ask if you’re “good to drive,” take the hint that you’re probably not. In the age of ride sharing apps, there’s really no good excuse for this one.
If you’re like me, seeing other drivers committing the above bad driving habits can make your blood boil. Road rage, however, is never a good look. Whether that’s merely swearing under your breath with kids in the car (like me) or jumping out of your car to accost another driver, it’s always a bad idea to allow negative emotions to cloud your judgement behind the wheel. Road rage is another one we’ve covered in-depth, here, where we layout healthier ways of coping on the road.