Are roads getting more dangerous these days? That's a question on every driver's mind.
But the more important question is are you contributing to making it safer? Or are you contributing to the problem? Every driver should question themselves of that, and make sure that they're not only being pleasant or courteous, but they're helping their fellow motorists stay safe on the road.
Let's look at the most common problematic habits that unsafe drivers have, and how to correct these issues.
Texting while driving. We've covered this multiple times on our quora answers and our previous blog entries, but it needs to be said again- stop fiddling with your phone while you're driving! It's one of the biggest problems on the topic of road safety, and everyone still feels like they can handle their driving while they're texting.
However, statistics say otherwise- about 1 in 4 car crashes are due to driver distraction, and the biggest distraction out there in the modern world right now are mobile phones.
If you really can't keep your hands off your mobile device, you're in for a really bad time, with thousands of dollars in expenses being the least of your problems in a car crash.
Our tip? Scare yourself straight, and use the power of technology to get you to stop the habit of using your phone while driving.
Get a dual dash cam so that you can review what's happening on the road, especially during when you're on the phone. Some crazy stuff might be happening outside and there might be some parts where you narrowly avoid some collisions while you're on the phone; again like we said, that should be enough to scare you straight into touching your phone ever again while you're driving.
If you can get a mobile phone cradle too, do so. The only good reason for you to use your mobile device while you're on the road is for it to act as a GPS navigation tool, hands free. If you can't answer a call hands free either, don't even bother doing so- you're endangering your life, the life of your passengers and last but not the least, other motorists on the road.
If you're ever curious about what's the safe way to use your mobile device (both logically and sensibly), here's a quick guide from vicroads.
Road Rage. It's a very common thing for a driver to get a little upset over the many different happenings on the road- it might be because the car in front is swerving; maybe they stabbed on the brakes too quickly and there was almost a collision- there are a lot of different factors. Sometimes, even the smallest thing can tick off the most patient driver out there.
It's important to recognize these behaviors as they are accidents in the making. It's not unknown for anyone that's upset to suddenly make a rash decision, and when you couple that with the raw tonnage of any kind of vehicle, it's one of the most dangerous things out there to happen.
Imagine an angry person, behind the wheel of a vehicle that's multiple tons, powered by a powerful engine speeding towards you- that never ends well for anyone, even for the person behind the wheel.
If you do recognize that you frequently fly off into one of these rages, it's best to get checked. If you're simply stressed, take a breather, park the car and walk for a bit and stretch your legs. It's also a great idea to recognize these habits and see what you look like when you're upset. Again, a dual dash cam could help in this situation. Seeing why you got upset, how you got upset and how its completely (for the most part) unnecessary (and unsightly, to say the least).
Visibility is also a huge factor in making sure that you're travelling safety, and that you're not jeopardizing anyone else's safety on the road, for that matter.
If you are travelling with damaged or non-functioning lights, get it repaired immediately. Even if you do drive mostly in the day only, a situation might come up where you'll need to drive at night. If your lights are non-functional, visibility is going to be the least of your problems- an accident can and will happen.
If you have issues with your lights, it would be a good idea to get them replaced with LED lights, as they're the most efficient lighting solution out there in the world, bar none.
If you're living in an area that doesn't have a lot of people in it (in Australia, there are plenty of places that are such) and with not much public lighting, it's best to invest in additional lighting for your vehicle, such as LED light bars. There may not be other motorists, but anything could be out there on the road and you'll need perfect visibility to be able to drive safely.
There are tons more that we do out on the road that endanger us and our fellow motorists, and we'd do well to be better drivers and car owners. Generally, we could do better in our basic car maintenance so that our vehicles do not become causes of accidents.
Again, we cannot stress enough how important focus is when it comes to driving- you'll need all of your attention on the road, and you should not underestimate how dangerous it is to keep your eyes off it even just for a few seconds. Driving is indeed cool and all, but you know what they say- with power comes responsibility.
If you'd like to get the geat that's mentioned above, it's available here at Elinz! Check out our wide selection of dash cams, LED light bars, reverse cameras and mobile phone holder, at the best price points possible.
