Most drivers on the road would say that they are pretty good drivers, and they feel they rarely put themselves in harms way when on the road – however this is actually a misjudgment. Just because you haven’t been in a life threatening accident does not mean you are a safe driver by any means. Having not been in an accident should not be what determines a safe driver from an unsafe one.
Here are 8 of the most dangerous things we tend to do while driving. These are things we do without thinking, but it’s a fact that even just looking away for a split second may cost you your life.
1. Eating while driving.
For most people eating a quick apple while driving might be fine, but if you’re munching on a sandwich and all of a sudden you look down because you just realised you messed all over yourself – that right there could be your fatal flaw.
2. Road rage.
People driving while they are upset is a common occurrence and you don’t have to have been upset by another driver to experience road rage. You might simply have had a bad day. Driving in this state is dangerous and causes distraction, which, in turn, affects a driver’s ability to concentrate. If you do become upset with another driver, you may tend to start driving aggressively which is an accident waiting to happen.
3. Reaching for something.
How often have you reached for your cellphone in your handbag on the floor or on the passenger seat? This could be the worst thing to do. If you are trying to reach something, you are distracting yourself from keeping your eyes on the road and you don’t have your hands properly placed on the steering wheel to respond to something if it were to happen.
4. Putting on makeup.
Apart from jamming the mascara brush into your eye, a lot of other things can go wrong if you put on makeup while driving. Think of it this way – you might not have a face to put on any make up after an accident. Therefore, rather leave the make up while you’re driving.
5. Changing Clothes.
There is not a single article of clothing that should be changed while driving. Changing clothes involves taking your foot off the brake, hands off the steering wheel, and eyes off the road.
6. Driving with headphones.
If you drive with headphones, you automatically take away one of the two things that keeps you focused on the road – sound. If you are driving with headphones or ear buds in, you are tossing your sense of sound out the car window.
7. Driving with a child or pet on your lap.
Driving with a child or dog on your lap is one of the worst mistakes you can make, yet we see it all the time. It is simply unsafe to transport a pet or small infant in the car without an appropriate car seat.
8. Using your phone or tab while driving.
Everybody knows that texting, taking a phone call or taking a selfie while driving is dangerous, yet countless people do it. It not only averts your attention, it means you aren’t focused on the road, and hands are not on the wheel – which are the important things you need to stay safe on the road.
