Surprising Driving Behaviors That Can Endanger You and Your Passengers
If you’re a licensed driver, you probably know to obey all traffic laws when you’re on the road. If you have some passengers in the car with you, though, that becomes even more crucial. Maybe you ever have some children in the vehicle. They’re relying on you to get them to your destination safely.
Some driving behaviors that once seemed acceptable society now doesn’t endorse. For instance, in the past, driving instructors would tell you to put your hands at the 10 and 2 positions on your steering wheel. However, understanding the risks of driving at 10 and 2 led to most driving instructors changing that piece of advice.
You might also want to hear about some other surprising driving behaviors that can potentially endanger you and your passengers. We will talk about those in detail right now.
Using the Car’s Navigation System
Many modern cars come with navigation systems. You can often get a lot of use out of yours. For example, if you’re on a long road trip with your family in the car with you, you will probably need that navigation system, since you’re driving through unfamiliar territory.
However, while navigation systems can help, they might also endanger you if you’re not careful. If you look down at the screen while you’re driving, that means you’re taking your eyes off the road ahead, even if it’s for just a few seconds.
In that time, a driver ahead of you might slam on the brakes, and you might hit their vehicle’s rear bumper before you realize it. That’s why, if you’re going to use the navigation system, you need to do so carefully. If you have another adult in the passenger’s seat beside you, then you might give them navigation duties rather than trusting the car’s built-in system.
Driving Without Sunglasses
You may also endanger yourself and your passengers if you drive without sunglasses in the vehicle. If it’s a cloudy day, then that’s probably not an issue. Maybe you’re driving directly toward the sun, though, and it’s practically blinding.
You can pull down the sun shade that’s located above the driver’s seat, but that’s not a perfect solution. The shade will block the sun, but it will partially obscure your vision.
If you have a pair of sunglasses in the car, then you can put them on, and that will improve the situation immensely. You can keep them in the glove compartment or the consol in between the driver’s seat and the front passenger seat.
Driving Close to Commercial Trucks on the Highway
You need to share the highway with other vehicles, and that includes the gigantic 18-wheelers that you will often see on the interstate. These vehicles might have just about anything in the back. Maybe they’re carrying toys, furniture, frozen dinners, or something else entirely.
If you can, though, you need to try to keep your distance. If a traffic pattern forces you close to one of these trucks, then you must try to get away as soon as you have the opportunity.
In most instances, you can drive behind or beside one of these huge vehicles without incident. Sometimes, though, you might have a careless truck driver who doesn’t see you and taps your car.
Even the slightest collision can cause massive damage, injuries, or even deaths. That’s because of the sheer size of these vehicles.
To make sure that doesn’t happen, try to stay a few car lengths behind semi-trailers. If you see a chance to safely pass one and to get away from it, do that instead.
Driving Without Your Lights On
Most drivers know that they need to drive with their lights on at night. However, if it’s an hour after dawn or approaching twilight, you should have your lights on as well.
If it’s raining or snowing, then you should have them on. If there’s fog, mist, or some other perilous atmospheric conditions, you should have them on then, too.
In such conditions, having your lights on makes it easier for other drivers to see you. It only takes a moment to switch on your lights, but it will keep you and your passengers safe.
If you do all of these things, then you can often avoid dangerous situations that you don’t necessarily think about most of the time. Avoiding things like speeding and drunk driving should always help you, but you should also look out for these lesser-known dangers.
