Defensive Driving

Top 10 biggest driving mistakes

Most drivers aren't perfect. They all make mistakes behind the wheel, but some are worse than others. Forgetting to signal when changing lanes isn't as bad as tailgating or cutting someone off. If drivers simply paid more attention to the task of driving, then the amount of injuries and deaths could be greatly reduced. Inspired by the recent release of the Pope's "10 driving commandments," we've compiled what we believe to be the top 10 driving sins:

  1. Being unaware of other drivers. A lot of drivers just keep their eyes straight ahead and are oblivious to their surroundings or other vehicles. To be a good driver, you need to watch the sides and back of the vehicle too. Many accidents could be prevented if people paid more attention to other drivers.
  1. Reckless driving. Speeding, swerving around traffic, cutting in front of vehicles and unsafe passing are all instances of reckless driving. Many drivers need to refine their skills and realize that it's not a race to get from one red light to the next. Reckless driving causes many deaths on the road. It also causes extreme wear and tear on the brakes and uses more gas.
  2. Tailgating. Many drivers follow too closely to the vehicles in front of them. It's extremely frustrating having someone right on your tail. Tailgating not only raises driver aggression but it also increases the risk for accidents because there isn't enough stopping space. So smarten up and stay back!
  3. Not adjusting driving to suit the conditions. Rain, snow or shine, too many people drive the same way in differing road conditions. The simple act of slowing down and increasing your following distance in bad weather can prevent vehicles from ending up in the ditch. This also applies to SUV owners - just because you drive an SUV doesn't mean you can drive like a maniac in poor conditions!
  4. Failing to stay in the right-hand lane. Speed matchers are probably some of the most annoying drivers on the road. These are the drivers that stay in the left lane and match the speed of the vehicle in the right so that people can't pass them. The left lane is meant for passing and making left turns only!
  5. Not keeping vehicles in roadworthy conditions. Too many drivers are trying to get away with driving complete piles of crap on the road. This refers to the smoking rustbuckets that should have been sent to their junkyard graves a long time ago, but it also includes vehicles with non-working headlights, brake lights, tail lights and indicator lights. Police have recently started cracking down on unsafe vehicles and removing them from the road - permanently.
  6. Improper braking. Many people simply don't know how to use their brakes. Some people brake really hard at the last minute, making followers hit the brakes as well. Others tend to ride the brake for minutes at a time so that followers never know when they're actually braking or not - it seems to be one extreme or the other.
  7. Driving in impaired states. Driving when drowsy, upset or under the influence is hazardous for the driver and those around him or her. Only drive when in a capable state of mind.
  8. Idling. It shouldn't matter whether someone is running into the store for one minute or a half hour. Turn off the car. Leaving the car to sit and idle pollutes the environment and is also a huge waste of gas.
  9. Not concentrating on just driving. Many people try to do too many other things while driving, such as talk on the phone, eat a hamburger or read maps. This greatly reduces people's concentration making them hazardous to other drivers.
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