5 Common Driving Mistakes You Might be Making
Have you ever had to make an auto insurance claim? All drivers dread the day that they’ll need to make a claim, due in no small part to how many mistakes “other drivers” make. A good driver will always do what they believe is best, but even a good driver is probably making some sizable mistakes, including you. Today, we’re going to take a look at those easy-to-miss driving errors and help you find your own way to become a better driver in 2016.
1. Deadly Distractions
It doesn’t matter if you have a hands-free setup for phone calls on the road – having a conversation while driving is a distraction with a direct negative impact on your driving skills, and every distraction is a step towards disaster. Texting is even worse, even if you’re using speech-to-text, and puts you in almost as much danger as driving under the influence.
2. Misplaced Concentration
Huge collisions aren’t always caused by huge mistakes – sometimes, just taking your eyes off of the road for a moment can have devastating consequences, especially if you’re unfamiliar with your surrounds. Glance at road signs, but keep your eyes on the road ahead at all times.
3. Got Maintenance?
Many drivers don’t even know how to properly maintain their vehicle, and even more simply neglect their car’s maintenance needs. This can cause irreversible damage to your vehicle’s most important systems, but it can also lower your odds of avoiding or surviving a collision. Keeping your tires properly inflated at all times is extremely important for both of these reasons, but changing out your vehicle’s oil and transmission fluid per the maintenance guidelines in your car’s owner’s manual are crucial to keeping your car running.
The best maintenance you can perform is keeping up with your car insurance, so save some money with a cheap car insurance policy from Cost-U-Less.
4. Accelerating, Braking, and You
Changing your most deeply-rooted driving habits is no small task, but it might help to start paying more attention to how aggressively you accelerate and brake. You’re likely wasting gas by accelerating too much and using your brake more than you really need it – if you find yourself coming to sharp stops, try making a slower approach, for instance. Drive like there’s an egg between your foot and the pedal to ease this bad habit away.
5. Mixed Signals
If you announce your intention to turn by signaling but suddenly realize you’re at the wrong exit, what should you do? The experts say to take the turn anyway in case a less courteous driver attempts to overtake your car before you correct your own mistake. If you’re driving through unfamiliar territory, it’s always a good idea to get to know your route beforehand.
Not sure where to go from here? Looking for more “safe driving tips” to help you launch forward into 2016? Let us know in the comments section below to join the discussion, and call, click, or visit Cost-U-Less today for everything from the basic liability insurance to full coverage and beyond.
