Automotive

Why Even Skilled Drivers Must Avoid These Dangerous Habits

Driving is a skill that we love to get good at. You may think you are top at it — sure when you drive, know all the street signs, and can deal with hard bits of the road. But, even if you drive a lot, you can pick up bad habits that hurt how safe you are and how long your car lasts.

Using Cruise Control Too Much in Bad Spots

Cruise control is a cool tool that helps with tiredness on long rides by keeping a set speed. Yet, lots of drivers use it wrong by turning it on when it’s not safe, like in busy traffic, on twisty roads, or on wet and icy paths. When cruise control is on in these times, the driver’s quick reaction is not as good because the system does not change for quick surprises like a person would. For example, on wet roads, it might make the car go a bit faster or keep the speed up when it should go down, making the risk of sliding go up.

Not Caring for Tires Properly

Tires are the only thing that touches the road from your car, but many drivers — no matter how well they drive — don’t check on their tires often. Tires that are too low or too high can change how well you can steer, stop quickly, and save gas. The U.S. Department of Transportation says bad tire pressure is a main reason tires blow out, which can make you lose control of the car. Even drivers who are great at dodging trouble can face scary times if their tires quit on them. Also, not caring for tire wear by missing alignment or turning plans can make the car hard to handle, more so in quick tight spots. Often looking at tire pressure with a good tool and following what the maker says is an easy but missed step that can stop big issues.

Not Seeing the Bad Parts of Fast Starts and Hard Stops

Many sure drivers go fast and stop quick, mostly in cities where you often stop and start. While this may look like a good way to save time or stay in control, this hard driving can hurt both safety and the car. Quick starts make the engine and gears work too hard, wearing them out and using more gas. Hard stops not only wear out brake parts fast but also make skidding more likely, mostly on slick spots. What’s more, these ways make crashes from behind more likely because other drivers may not think you will stop so suddenly. Even the best drivers should go faster smoothly and slow down bit by bit to keep the car steady and make key parts last longer.

Thinking Advanced Driving Help Systems Do Too Much

New cars come with cool help tools like lane help, quick stop help, and side-watch help. While these tools make driving safer, they are not perfect and should not take the place of careful driving. A big slip by drivers who drive a lot is to lean too much on these tools, thinking they will stop all crashes. For example, quick stop systems might miss some things in the way or mess up in bad weather. Lane help may not work right on roads with bad lines. Being too sure in these aids can make you less sharp, slow to react, and take risks.

Not Changing How You Drive When Roads Change

Being able to change how you drive is a key trait of a top driver. But, many drivers, even really good ones, don’t change their driving way enough when things change. Weather is a clear case — rain, snow, fog, and ice need slower speeds, more space between cars, and smoother moves. Yet, studies find many crashes happen because drivers keep their normal speed and style no matter the weather. Also, spots with road work need more focus and often slower speeds, but some drivers pay no mind to these signs, making crash risks go up.