If you drive, you know it’s useful. You have your license and a car, and you might drive every day. You use your vehicle for work, and you also use it when you need groceries or when you are picking the kids up at school. You can also use your car when you’re taking vacations and driving across the country.
You might enjoy driving, but you must also acknowledge that it’s dangerous on the highways and local roads sometimes. 2019 saw 36,560 motor vehicle accident fatalities, and similar numbers occur every year. Reckless drivers can kill or hurt you, and you can harm someone else if you don’t follow all traffic laws.
You can’t control someone else’s driving, but you can certainly control your own. Let’s discuss a few reckless car behaviors that you should always avoid. The following behaviors can cause accidents, and then deaths and serious injuries can result.
Changing Lanes Without Signaling
Some people feel that they can use the turn signal when they remember it, but more times than not, it’s optional. That’s not true, and when you see these individuals driving, you’ll realize that’s a reckless motorist who’s endangering those around them.
If you change lanes without signaling, the drivers around you must react quickly. They must avoid your car, sometimes swerving into other lanes and hitting vehicles nearby. You caused the accident by not signaling, though.
You should always use your turn signal when turning or changing lanes. That lets drivers nearby know your intentions. It’s not just a courtesy. It’s a law that the police will enforce if they see you breaking it.
Speeding
Some drivers love speeding. It’s like they can’t help themselves. They go much faster on local roads than they should. When they do, they endanger children playing, people walking their dogs, cyclists, and anyone else who is in their way.
They might also speed while out on the highway. These drivers might get where they’re going faster, but they also risk horrific collisions.
If you speed, whether on local roads or highways, you can’t control your car very easily. You can cause serious crashes that might hurt or kill someone or yourself.
Just because your vehicle’s speedometer says it can hit 140 miles per hour, that does not mean you should try that out. Drive the speed limit and keep everyone around you and in your vehicle safe.
Drinking and Driving
Drunk driving happens every day across the country, and every day it causes fatal accidents. If you drink alcohol, don’t drive. Even if you just have one beer and think you’re under the legal limit, you can call an Uber or a taxi instead.
That way, you’ll know you can’t get a DUI and lose your license. If that happens, you must attend AA meeting and possibly do community service as well. You must take public transportation. It is not worth it, so surrender your keys if you drink any alcohol.
Tailgating
Some drivers like to drive up close behind cars while on the highway. They might do this in the fast lane if they feel the vehicle ahead should speed up. These drivers might even flash their lights or honk their horns.
The police call this activity tailgating, and they don’t like it very much. If a patrol car sees you doing that, the cops will chase you down and ticket you.
Tailgating endangers you and the driver ahead. They might hit the brakes, and if they do, your car will likely strike their rear bumper. You’re not giving the other vehicle enough room. You should have at least one vehicle length between your car and theirs.
Smoking or Ingesting Marijuana
Some states allow legal marijuana now. You can legally purchase and use it recreationally. Other states have legalized medical marijuana.
If you live in a legal weed state and you buy some for recreational use, that’s fine, but you should never smoke or ingest any before you drive. If you do, you will have impairment issues, just like you would if you ingested alcohol.
The police can’t prove you ingested or smoked marijuana very easily, but if they smell weed in the car following an accident, they’ll arrest you. If you indulge, stay home. If you must go somewhere, have someone else drive you, or call an Uber or a taxi.
If you avoid these activities, you can help keep yourself and everyone around you safe.