15 things you shouldn't do while driving

Bad driving habits are the main cause of traffic accidents. Ignoring some simple rules by drivers can often be fatal for those who drive. A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the American Automobile Association (AAA) shows which driver habits are the most harmful, which respectively lead to traffic accidents. 

Driving with headphones

If the car radio is broken, listening to music from your phone with headphones is not a good idea, as it will "disconnect" you from the outside world. And that will make you a danger to both yourself and the people you are driving, as well as others on the road. If possible, connect your smartphone to the car using Bluetooth.

Drunk driving

In the United States, 30 people are killed on the road every day due to accidents caused by a drunk driver. These accidents can be prevented if people truly understand what drunk driving leads to.

Driving on drugs

In recent years, this problem has been growing, and in America, of course, its scale is enormous. According to AAA, 14,8 million drivers in the country get behind the wheel every year after using marijuana, and 70% of them think it's not dangerous. Unfortunately, the number of drug-addicted drivers in Europe is also increasing dramatically.

Tired drivers

Research shows that about 9,5% of road accidents in the United States are caused by tired drivers. Lack of sleep remains the biggest problem and cannot always be solved with an energy drink or strong coffee. Experts recommend stopping for at least 20 minutes if the driver feels that his eyes are closing during the trip.

Driving without a seat belt

Driving without a seat belt is a bad idea. The fact is that the airbag protects when it hits the road, but this is not an option if the seat belt is not fastened. In a collision without a seat belt, the driver's body moves forward and the airbag moves against him.

Using too many electronic helpers

Electronic assistants such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping or emergency braking make the driver's job much easier, but do not improve their driving skills. There are no cars completely ready for autonomous movement yet, so the driver must hold the steering wheel with both hands and carefully watch the road ahead.

Driving with your knees

Knee driving is a trick many drivers resort to when they feel tired in their arms and shoulders. At the same time, this is one of the most accurate ways to get into an accident, since you do not control the steering wheel. Accordingly, there is no way to react when another car, pedestrian or animal appears on the road in front of you. If you don't believe me, try parallel parking with your knees.

Failure to keep the distance

Driving near a car can prevent you from stopping in time. It is no coincidence that the two second rule was created to ensure a safe distance from the car in front of you. You will just be sure that you can stop in time if necessary.

Distraction while driving

A message from your phone may cause your view to drift off the road and cause an accident. An AAA poll shows that 41,3% of drivers in the United States read messages immediately received on their phone, and 32,1% write to someone while driving. And there are even more of those who talk on the phone, but in this case the device can be placed so as not to interfere with driving.

Ignore warnings

Often the car itself "reports" the problem, and this is done by turning on the indicator on the dashboard. Some drivers ignore this sign, which can even be fatal. Failure of essential vehicle systems often results in serious damage and can lead to accidents while traveling.

Riding with animals in the cabin

Driving with animals in the cabin (usually a dog) distracts the driver. More than half of the drivers admit it: 23% of them are forced to try to catch the animal during a sudden stop, and 19% try to prevent it from getting into the front seat. There is another problem - a 20 kg dog turns into a 600 kg projectile at a speed of 50 km / h. This is bad for both the animal and the drivers in the car.

Food driving

You can often see the driver eating at the wheel. This happens even on the track, where the speed is high enough. According to NHTSA, the risk of an accident in such cases is 80%, so it is better to stay hungry, but stay alive and well.

Driving too fast

According to AAA, non-speeding is responsible for 33% of road traffic fatalities in the United States. You think you will save time if you drive faster, but this is not entirely true. Traveling at a speed of 90 km / h for 50 km will take you about 32 minutes. The same distance, but at a speed of 105 km / h, will take 27 minutes. The difference is only 5 minutes.

Driving too slow

Driving much below the prescribed limit can be just as dangerous as speeding. This is because a slow moving vehicle confuses other vehicles on the road around it. Accordingly, it maneuvers more slowly, which poses a threat to vehicles moving at higher speeds.

Driving without light

In many countries, driving with daytime running lights is compulsory, but there are still drivers who ignore this. It happens that even in the dark, a car appears, the driver of which forgot to turn on the headlights.