5 Things To Avoid As A Driver

More and more people are getting on the road today than ever before, with the car being the main transportation for those looking to get from A to B. With the influx of new drivers, safety is as important as it ever has been, and everyone knows it. The problem is that too many people on the roads are still maintaining bad habits that they KNOW that they need to curb, but they don’t. These drivers know the dangers of being on the road while under the influence, and they know that they have to protect themselves and others, but they still continue as they are.

As a driver, your responsibility on the road is to yourself, other drivers, your passengers and the pedestrians nearby. You have to take the initiative to be on the road and aware of your surroundings. Not only do you want to avoid possible DUI penalties, you want to ensure that you are keeping yourself safe and everyone else on the road safe, too. Protecting yourself as a driver is important, but protecting everyone else is going to keep them alive as much as you. In crowds, a moment of inattention is going to have severe consequences, and so it’s essential to avoid these five driving issues:

1. Alcoholic drinks. Do you really need to drink while you are driving? Do you really think you won’t be impared on the road if you have been drinking glasses of wine before hopping behind the wheel? So many people forget that they are accountable for more than just themselves, and if you drink while driving, you’re going to hurt other people and this isn’t something that you want to be doing. Not only will you have hurt someone else, you could hurt yourself and you could end up with jail time. Not ideal!
2. Smoking. You may think you can drive and smoke at the same time, but it may be worth checking out the laws in your area. Smoking is a distraction and the idea here is to focus while you drive. Not only will you be affecting your own ability to drive, you’ll be affecting the health of your passengers. You’ll impact the atmosphere in the car, and you’ll also deal with possible burning ash in the eyes if the wind blows it the wrong way.
3. Cell Phone use. Hands-free and headsets are no better than holding a handset to your ears if the conversation is going to be a distraction for you. It’s not the same as talking to someone in the car and texting or making calls can be the most dangerous habits of car owners. It only takes one phone call or text message to cause a car crash, and you could be responsible for the deaths or trauma of many. Leave the phone in the glove box and make all calls wait until you are safely stopped.
4. Eating. It’s a habit that needs to get in the bin! Eating while driving is not necessary. Park the car and eat before you drive on. One-handed eating and driving can lead to accidents that are more than avoidable. There may be a cupholder in the car, but you don’t need to have a hot drink while you drive and you certainly don’t need to attempt to open a can of drink, either.
5. Singing. Okay, so while you can listen to music, often switching the focus from the road to the words you are trying to sing could be detrimental to your safety. If music is going to cause you to be distracted, switch it off.