3 Annoying Driving Habits Revealed

While most of us try to be conscientious when operating a vehicle, nobody’s perfect, which is why we can engage in annoying driving habits without even realizing it. Here are three of the most annoying driving habits and how you can break them to become a better driver.

Incorrect Turn Signal Usage

It’s pretty irritating to have someone merge into your lane without warning you by engaging their turn signal. Or perhaps the person in front of you is making a sudden turn without using their indicator. Not only is failure to use your turn signal annoying, but it’s also dangerous, forcing the person behind you to slam on their brakes and potentially causing a collision. While you can’t control what other drivers do, you can make an effort to remember always to use your turn signals when changing lanes or turning onto another road.

On the flip side, some people forget to turn their indicators off. You’ve undoubtedly been stuck behind someone whose turn signal won’t stop blinking even though they’re nowhere near a turn or exit. Or maybe you’re the one with the blinking signal on your vehicle. To break this habit, keep your radio at a reasonable volume so you can hear if your turn signal is still clicking, and you’ll know to turn it off.

Tailgating

Tailgating doesn’t help you reach your destination faster, so there’s no reason to tailgate unless you want to put yourself and others in danger. To avoid tailgating, try using your car’s cruise control system. By letting your vehicle take over accelerating and decelerating, you won’t be tempted to tailgate. Also, try leaving your house a few minutes early so that you don’t feel rushed if you must reach your destination at a specific time. When people are in a hurry to make an appointment, they tend to tailgate even more.

Perhaps you’re driving safely, and the person behind you is following too closely. You might want to speed up so they’re not on your tail or slow down to annoy them, but this can make the situation more dangerous. If it’s safe to change lanes, merge into the next lane and let the tailgater pass you.

Eyes on Your Phone Instead of on the Road

Paying attention to your phone instead of the road can cause many problems. Some are minor annoyances, like not noticing when a red light turns green and delaying the drivers behind you. However, if you miss a green light turning red, you could have a severe accident. Resist the temptation of using your phone by turning it off while driving.

Even if your phone is in hands-free mode, it can still cause dangerous distractions, so it’s best to avoid using your device unless it’s an emergency. Most texts and phone calls can wait until you’re safely parked, and you definitely don’t need to watch videos or post on social media while operating a vehicle.

These are just three of the many annoying driving habits you might encounter or engage in on the road. By breaking these bad habits, you can make our streets safer for yourself and others.