Safety precautions are often looked down upon, as car accidents are on the rise. In spite of warnings to the public, safety talks, cautionary ads, and parental advice, there are still people on the road confident that they can bend the rules and make it work, putting themselves, their passengers and others in traffic at risk. Here are several things that you should never do while driving.
Phone
The road requires your full attention. There is no need, or excuse, to text or call someone while driving. This isn’t the only unsafe thing you can do with your phone while behind the wheel – social media updates can wait until you are parked somewhere, or out of the car altogether. Focusing on your screen prevents you from watching the road and being able to respond quickly in an emergency, which is something a driver has to do. We know that the Leo Vegas overview is really interesting, but you can wait a few minutes and read it when you get out of your car.
Pedestrians running out and cars suddenly braking are your responsibility. The reason for the emphasis on this issue is that playing around on the phone has taken the first place as the cause of the most deaths resulting from a traffic accident away from the second item on this list – DUI.
DUI
Driving under the influence, or DUI, originally referred to being drunk behind the wheel. These days, it involves any and all drugs that impair your reflexes or judgment. There is a reason for many types of medication having a warning label concerning driving and operating heavy machinery.
You are not 100% you, even if you’ve had just one drink. Your response time and the ability to focus on the road are heavily impaired. While there are individuals out there who believe that they are better drivers after a few drinks, this is simply not true, as alcohol leads to overconfidence that you normally don’t possess. The same goes for narcotics. Depending on whether they are stimuli or depressants, drugs alter your perception of time, your focus, and your emotions, three things you should definitely keep in check while driving.
Safe Distance
Tailgating isn’t just annoying, it’s dangerous and illegal. There must always be sufficient space between your car and the car in front of you. This distance should be longer than the length of your car. In fact, the best course of action is to have space for one car for every 10 mph. For example, if you’re driving 60 mph on a freeway, there should be enough room for six cars between you and the car in front to give you ample time to react.
Don’t Fool Around Inside
Regardless of how fun or efficient it may seem, you should never multitask while driving. Unless you are reversing, don’t turn around. The car in motion is no place to change your shirt, eat pizza, play mobile games or do anything else that takes your attention away from what’s up ahead. It doesn’t matter if you can turn the wheel with your knees, it is anything but safe.
Don’t Try to Impress Anyone
Car tricks are appealing but unbelievably unsafe. Drag-racing, donuts in the parking lot, steering with one foot and stopping on a dime are things adrenaline junkies enjoy. The reason for avoiding doing these stunts should be obvious – one small miscalculation or an unexpected outside interference is all it takes to turn a bold feat into a tragedy.