Five Common Crash-Causing Mistakes

Posted & filed under Auto Safety.

Even the most cautious drivers make mistakes from time to time. But what driving mistakes are most likely to cause crashes? Here are five of the most common things we all do from time to time, and how to avoid them.

  1. Following Too Closely: Make sure you always leave a two-second gap between you and the vehicle ahead of you, and be sure to double or triple that time in inclement weather or on bad roads. It could save your car, or even your life.
  2. Incorrect Merging: Accidents often happen when the driver in front of you thinks “yield” means “stop.” It doesn’t. Do your part to keep traffic flowing safely by never making this mistake yourself. If you’re on a ramp merging into traffic, keep moving and don’t cause a traffic jam.
  3. Failing to Yield on Left Turns: Unless you have one of those lovely green arrow signals, you’re probably going to have to yield in order to turn left. Be sure and check the flow of traffic – in vehicle and pedestrian form – before you turn.
  4. Backing Up: You know those stickers on your mirrors, “Objects in mirrors are closer than they appear,” aren’t there for your entertainment. Be certain that you look over your shoulder, rather than always trusting mirrors or back-up cameras, when you’re going in reverse.
  5. Multi-tasking: This is really a nice way of reminding you to hang up and drive. Talking, texting, etc., and for that matter, eating anything that doesn’t come in bite-sized pieces and fit in your cup-holder, are all things that you really don’t need to be doing while operating a moving vehicle. Even hands-free phone calls are a distraction, btw.