What Are The Biggest Dangers Of Driving?
Ah, cars. Where would we be without them? Not very far, of course; all we’d have is our two legs and a horse to get from A to B. Easier to stay where you are! Yet while there is a long list of benefits to driving, it’s hard to ignore that there is a negative side to the whole process, too. It’s dangerous. When we’re moving at high speeds in a metal object, that’s to be expected, but it doesn’t make the threat any less real. But what are the biggest dangers of driving? We take a look at some of the biggest causes of accidents on the road. Where possible, make sure that you’re not guilty of committing any of them yourself, otherwise you run the risk of putting yourself and others in danger.
Source: Pexels.com
Changing Weather
You don’t just need to know how to drive. You need to know how to drive in multiple different ways. The conditions and threats can be wildly different, depending on what’s going on with the weather. On a clear, blue-sky day, you’ll have no problems, they’re perfect driving conditions. But when there’s a massive downpour, or the roads are icy and snowy, you need to be more careful. The way you usually drive might put you in a dangerous position. This is especially important to remember when you’re visiting places where the weather can change quickly, such as the mountains.
Sending a Message
There’s no denying that humanity has benefitted from all the communication options that have been made available to us over the past couple of days. In the old days, you’d have to send a letter and hope that it eventually made it to the destination. Now? We can simply take out out phones, write a message, and have it delivered instantly. That’s pretty amazing. But like with anything, context is everything. It’s a good thing if you’re sitting at home and want to talk to a friend. It’s a bad thing if you’re behind the wheel. There’s no message that is worth running the risk of crashing your vehicle. Keep your phone well away from your hands when you’re operating a vehicle. Your friend can wait until you’re safely pulled over for their message.
Under the Influence
Virtually all of us would say that we would never drive our car after we had been drinking alcohol. But here’s the thing: alcohol messes with your thought process, and after a few drinks, it’s possible that you forget your earlier vow and come up with reasons why it’s not the worst idea (as in, “it’s only five minutes”, “I’ll drive slowly,” and so on). Alas, this thinking leads to many fatal accidents each year. Drinking while under the influence is always dangerous, and endangers both the drive and other people on the road. Don’t it.
Driving Too Closely
We know, we know: it can be annoying to be stuck behind a driver who you believe is driving too slowly for your liking. But here’s a question: what do you achieve by tailgating that driver? You’re not going to get them to speed up (if they’re going near the speed limit, then they don’t need to), but you might distract them, and that’s not going to be a good thing. In any case, the one that you’re damaging the most is yourself. You’ll be getting frustrated – never good on the road – and if they have to stop for whatever reason, you won’t have enough time to stop yourself from crashing into the back of them. Even if the injuries aren’t so bad, the damage to your reputation – it’s a silly mistake to make – might sting.
Source: Pexels.com
Professional Drivers
Despite what we’ve said so far in this article, the truth is that most drivers really are safe. It’s because they don’t spend all their life behind a wheel, so they’re more aware of the dangers. This doesn’t always apply to professional drivers, however. Because they spend so much time on the roads, they can take risks that the average person wouldn’t – which makes them extra dangerous. Take the case of truck drivers, who usually drive faster than they should in order to complete their delivery on time. While it might be good for the trucking company’s business, it can be a disaster for others on the road. Indeed, truck driver errors are so common that there are lawyers who offer specific truck accident law services. Next time you’re on the road and see a truck, try to put as much space between you and the vehicle as possible.
Too Fast
We live in a fast-paced world, it’s true, and we’re all in a rush to get to wherever we need to be. But if you can think back over the past year, how many times did you really need to get somewhere? It’s nice to be on time, but were any of the times when you went too fast really a matter of life and death? Actually, they all were – when you’re speeding, you’re much more likely to end up in a fatal accident. There are speed limits for a reason. And in any case, it’s worth remembering that you usually see the car who sped away when the lights change at the next set of traffic lights anyway. You don’t get to your destination more quickly as you might think you do.
Getting Angry
Anger is a part of life. In most cases, a short burst of anger is no big deal; once it’s passed, you think back and laugh at how you were acting. When you get angry when you’re on the road, however, things can become dangerous. Being behind a wheel requires all of your focus and concentration, and if there’s one thing that anger is responsible for, it’s people losing their concentration and control. If you see something on the road that makes you angry, deal with it peacefully. It’ll help everyone on the road, and especially you.