7 Things You Should Never Do On The Road

Fuel cost is dropping, global positioning system (GPS) technologies are improving, and car accidents are becoming less rampant than before. As a result, hitting the road has become an increasingly appealing hobby for many car owners. However, while road trips are no longer as difficult to plan and pull off, people still tend to make mistakes on the road, which leads to minor inconveniences, and sometimes, may also result in car accidents. 

When that happens, you’ll have to deal with a lot of things. You need to hire a reputable lawyer, negotiate the settlement terms, deal with your medical bills, among others. With that said, here’s a list of things you need to avoid doing when hitting the road: 

1. Speeding 

Everyone knows that speeding increases the possibility of car accidents. Driving too fast means you also can’t react fast enough if there’s an unexpected situation. For example, if a car in front of you suddenly stops without warning, you won’t have enough time to hit the brakes, given how fast your car’s going. Moreover, around 1/5 of fatal car accidents occur when the driver is speeding, more common than crashes caused by DUI or driving under the influence, which says a lot. Remember, speed limits exist for a reason. 

2. Road Raging 

Road rage refers to the manifestation of anger verbally or through actions, leading to the inability to control emotions. If you’re unable to control your emotions, you most likely won’t be able to control the steering wheel as well. Granted, driving for a very long time can be pretty stressful, but that doesn’t make it an excuse to lead yourself or your passengers to their doom. Besides, there have been many cases where drivers who have displayed road rages suffer from stroke or heart attack hours later, so you’re better off containing your anger, at least until after the trip. 

3. Using Headphones 

Yes, using headphones can be an equally bad habit when on the road. While music can help during long commutes, ignoring the sound from your surroundings can be extremely dangerous. Maybe a car at the back is planning to overtake yours, and they’ve given the signal to do so via sound. 

Naturally, you won’t hear these signals, so you’ll more likely make a mistake, which can then lead to car accidents. Experts, however, believe that using headphones to answer calls is better than using one of your hands, so headphones aren’t always a bad thing when hitting the road. 

4. Driving In Unsafe Weather 

Oftentimes, when on the road, there will be some unforeseeable circumstances, such as bad weather conditions. In such cases, you’ll need to slow down and become more alert of your surroundings. Unfortunately, not all drivers follow such a simple rule, especially if they’re tight on time. As always, this shouldn’t be an excuse to drive recklessly in an unsafe weather condition. If you decide to continue your trip despite that, make sure you wear seatbelts. 

5. Neglecting Seatbelts 

Every driving scene in different movies has probably emphasized the importance of seatbelts, and for several reasons. For starters, surveys show that seatbelts have been saving thousands of lives every year. Moreover, airbags can function better when passengers wear seatbelts. Besides, putting on a seatbelt isn’t a difficult task, so there’s no reason to neglect such a simple safety precaution. 

6. Driving Without Getting Enough Sleep 

You might be thinking that even if you only get a little bit of shuteye in between trips, you can get to your destination faster. but that’s not always true. Sure, you might save a bit of time, but you’re also putting yourself at risk of a car accident the more sleep-deprived you are. You’re probably already aware of its consequences. 

7. Using A Defective Car 

Sometimes, it’s not entirely the driver’s fault they got into trouble while on the road. There are also cases when a lousy car caused the accident. Perhaps the airbags were dysfunctional, or the seatbelts were no longer durable. Regardless, you can at least minimize the possibility of car accidents by checking the car’s features such as traction control, stability, tire pressure system, and more. You can also opt for car repairs and oil change before hitting the road. 

Final Words 

Car accidents are caused by several variables. You’ve probably made a mistake, or you weren’t alert enough. Either way, much like how there are things you should do while driving, there are also things you shouldn’t do, and this guide should help remind you what these are.