Did you know there were 42,514 deaths due to car accidents in the U.S. in 2022?
That’s according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It adds there were 1.33 deaths for
every 100 million miles traveled.
You can imagine that there are many more injuries for every death on U.S. roads and highways. What makes that particularly hard to digest is that many accidents leading to injury or worse can easily be prevented. All people have to do is modify their on-the-road behavior.
Are you an aggressive driver? Do you tailgate or swerve from lane to lane without using your turn signals? Are you the type to brake-check another driver as a form of retaliation? If you answered in the affirmative to any of these questions, you’re part of the problem.
Here are four driver habits to nip in the bud so the roads are safer for everyone.
1. Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is a habit for which there is no valid excuse. When operating a motor vehicle, your attention must be on driving. Talking on the phone, sending or reading text messages, or fixing your hair is a no-no. Neither should you be attending to your dog, eating a meal, or doing anything other than responsibly operating your vehicle.
One source notes that 7.6% of motorists on the road use their smartphones while driving. That’s a shame since distracted driving results in thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries annually.
2. Drunk Driving
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that around 37 people in the U.S. die every day in drunk-driving collisions. That works out to one person every 39 minutes.
There’s zero reason to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after drinking. After decades of marketing campaigns from special interest grounds and governments about the ills of driving impaired, too many drivers let that message go in one ear and out the other.
According to the American Addiction Centers, around one in four people acknowledge driving after consuming alcohol at least one or two times. And around 2.17% say they’ve done so over six times. Even more surprising is that 53.5% of survey respondents say they can capably operate a vehicle after drinking, while 46.5% say otherwise.
3. Road Rage
Road rage can be deadly. According to one source looking at 2022 road rage statistics, 106 million drivers drove 15 mph or more above the posted speed limit, 68 million drivers ran a red light, 49 million drivers cut in front of another car, and 55 million drivers sped up to prevent another car from passing them.
You can often avoid road rage by learning to keep your cool. If someone’s tailgating you, for instance, change lanes rather than make obscene hand gestures. You should also avoid brake-checking anyone tailgating you. Otherwise, you could cause an accident.
4. Not Observing Weather Conditions
Some drivers think they can travel at excessive speeds on roads compromised by the weather. That’s a big mistake. Remember that the posted speed limit is for ideal road conditions. If the roads are wet, icy, or shrouded by fog, you should slow down. Failing to observe weather conditions can increase the odds of accidents.
As you can see, these issues can easily be prevented. It takes being more considerate of others using the road. While you can’t change how others operate on the road, you can make changes that help keep you and others safe. It’s worth the effort if you want to avoid becoming a statistic.
