5 Bad Driving Habits We All Need To Kick
Experts say it takes 21 consistent days to form a habit. We all use this method to set goals such as running, reading, or eating healthier. But have you ever thought about applying this method behind the wheel of your car?
So many of us are guilty of bad driving habits and yet we don’t realize how dangerous it is. Most bad driving habits are related to distracted driving, being responsible for 80% of car crashes. Not only are bad driving habits dangerous, but most of them are illegal as well.
We often overlook our bad driving habits simply because they are habits and it’s common to see them in all drivers. Unfortunately though just because everyone else is doing something, it doesn’t make it acceptable or safer by any means.
It’s time that we change the norm and kick our bad habits. So do you even know which bad driving habits you’re guilty of? See how many of the 5 bad driving habits below you’ve done and we’ll give you some tips to overcome them.
Bad Driving Habits: Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is driving without paying attention to the road in front of you due to distractions caused by something else. Usually that something else is your Instagram feed or a phone call to a friend. It’s not just your phone that can distract you, though. Something as simple as daydreaming has even been a contributor to distracted driving and many car accidents.1. Daydreaming. Whenever you hear the words “distracted driving” you automatically think of cell phones, right? While cell phones are one of the leading causes of car wrecks and traffic fatalities, daydreaming is actually causes the most distracted driving accidents.
It’s common for drivers to think of driving as a time to relax, unwind, and let your mind wander. However, when we do that we are not in full conscious contact with the world around us. Sure, an emergency may bring your attention back, but your reaction time will be delayed. And a few seconds can make all the difference when a car suddenly jolts to a stop in front of you.
Now don’t feel guilty. We are all daydreamers and it’s because of how our brains are wired. So if we can’t completely stop daydreaming while driving, how can we minimize it? Here’s a few things you can try:
- Keep your eyes moving to keep from staring at certain objects or into the distance. When we stare our minds start to wander.
- Chew some gum or something crunchy to stimulate your senses.
- Try different driving routes when you can. Taking the same route every day becomes routine and when we go through a routine we don’t have to pay as much attention, making us more likely to daydream.
- Listen to music or a podcast. Anything to keep your mind active. Just remember to keep your eyes on the road.
2. Cell Phones. Did you know that texting and driving is 6 times more likely to cause a car accident than drunk driving? What’s even more unsettling is that 77% of adults think that they can “easily manage” texting and driving.
Drivers admit that using a cell phone while driving takes their eyes off the road, but they say it’s only for a few seconds so it doesn’t matter. Texting while driving can take your eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds. It doesn’t sound like much but it’s enough time to cause an accident.
Think of it like this… it’s recommended to keep 3 seconds between you and the vehicle in front of you for a safe distance. Suppose you divert your attention to your phone to respond to a text. If it takes 5 or more seconds to read/respond to that text and the car in front of you stops abruptly, you could be seriously injured. Especially if you were to hit the car in front of you while going 55 MPH.
Using your cell phone while driving is not worth the risk. It’s dangerous and even illegal in some states. To reduce the urge, put your phone on silent while driving or put it out of reach. There are also apps that help prevent texting while driving such as LifeSaver and AT&T DriveMode.
3. Eating and Drinking. A bad driving habit we are all guilty of because let’s be honest… we are all crunched for time. Eating in the car feels like it’s unavoidable sometimes with such busy schedules. However, even without the busy schedules eating while driving has become so normalized that most people don’t see a problem with it.
Unfortunately, eating and drinking while driving can be just as dangerous as texting and driving. The bottom line is that anything that takes your attention away from the road is dangerous and puts you at risk. In fact, distracted driving is responsible for over 80% of all car crashes.
So if you need to eat while on the road, let someone else drive. If you do not have anyone else with you that can drive, try to wait until you reach your destination or eat before you leave.
4. Putting on Makeup/Grooming. It seems as though some of distracted driving comes from not having enough time in the day. Just like eating while driving, we tend to put our makeup on and groom ourselves while driving because we’re running late.
What makes this so dangerous is that instead of your attention being on the road, you’re looking in the mirror. It may be just as dangerous as texting while driving because you’re attention, your eyesight, is completely off the road.
The only way to avoid this is to adjust your schedule to allow time for self grooming in the mornings before you leave. If you need to touch up your makeup, try to wait until you’ve reached your destination. It’ll keep you safe and you won’t run the risk of smudging your mascara or lipstick while trying to put it on while driving.
5. Driving Tired. Fatigued and drowsy driving took almost 800 lives in 2017. Most people are guilty of drowsy driving maybe not realizing just how dangerous it is. Not only are you at risk of falling asleep behind the wheel, but when you’re drowsy you have brief losses of consciousness. It’s called micro sleeps and they last for about 5 seconds. That’s enough time to cause a crash.
While the only sure way to avoid drowsy driving is to get enough sleep, here’s a few tips to help you avoid it:
- Don’t drive between midnight and 6am, or late in the afternoon. These times are when people are most likely to experience dips in their circadian rhythm – the human body’s internal clock that regulates sleep, according to the NHTSA.
- Don’t drink alcohol before driving – even just one glass. It increases drowsiness.
- Don’t take any medications that have drowsiness as a side effect before you drive.
- If your in the middle of a commute and feel too drowsy to drive, find a place to pull over, such as a rest stop, and take a 20 to 30 minute nap. You’ll be surprised at what a difference it makes.
