The Most Dangerous Driving Habits

The Most Dangerous Driving Habits

Over 37,000 people die in traffic incidents each year with an additional 2.35 million injured or disabled. With these disturbing statistics in mind, three driving behaviors are the top culprits. 

All three of the most dangerous driving habits should be unsurprising to anyone who has spent a good deal of time on the road. You've all seen instances of these, with some in shocking frequency. Still, keeping these in mind may change some bad habits and in doing so may save your life.

#3 - Drunk Driving. It is estimated that over 400,000 incidents of drunk driving occur every day 24 hours. There have been multiple advertising campaigns spelling          out the dangers of drunk driving. Moreover, anyone who has ever been drunk or driven can imagine the dangers of combining the two. It is easily                            preventable. Take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft. It's as simple as that.

#2 - Speeding. With increased speed come increased danger. The posted speed limits are there for a reason. Studies have been conducted on specific road                  conditions to determine a safe rate of speed for your stretch of road. Just stick to a rate of travel around that number and you'll statistically be much safer.

#1 - Distracted Driving. This includes a great deal of activities. Talking on the phone, texting, checking your GPS, eating, and applying makeup all fall under this             category. Texting and driving and talking on the phone have risen to the top of the offender list in the last three years as causes for traffic fatalities. Drivers               using their phone in any way are 4 times more likely to get into a car accident than drivers that are paying attention to the road. Those who text while driving           are almost 25 times more likely to get into an accident.

Avoiding an accident may be as simple as leaving that text unchecked until you get where you're going or using hands-free Bluetooth features. If necessary, turn off the phone until you arrive at your destination. Whatever it takes, safe driving behaviors can start with making just a few small adjustments to what you do during your commute.

At Mac Haik Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep in Houston, TX, we take your safety seriously! Please don't drive distracted.

Written By: Todd Hendrickson
Source: drivers.com, asirt.org