4 Examples of Negligent and Careless Driving and How to Prevent Them

If you drive a motor vehicle, then you have a duty to make sure that your driving is up to scratch at all times. Reckless or incompetent driving can cause accidents and injury, and may even lead to fatalities, so minimizing the risks is your responsibility.

There may be times that you are putting yourself and others at risk without even being aware of it. So, if you can familiarise yourself with some examples of negligent and careless driving, it might help prevent them from occurring.

Using your Mobile Phone

Mobile phones are responsible for a vast number of accidents on the roads. Yes, you may be desperate to see who has texted you or find out why your WhatsApp notifications are going crazy, but it isn’t safe to do so. It only takes seconds to become distracted and ram into the car in front or not see the pedestrian who’s walked out in front of you. If you struggle to ignore the notifications or feel that curiosity will get the better of you, mute your phone or switch it off completely.

Answering calls can be just as dangerous, so you should keep this to a minimum. Laws relating to this vary from state to state and country to country. It may result in points being added to your driving record, a fixed penalty, or may even be a chargeable offence, so check which rules apply to where you live.

Connecting your phone to your vehicle’s Bluetooth speakers is far less dangerous than holding a phone to your ear. However, if you want to prevent any chance of a phone-related accident, ignore the call and ring them back when it’s safe to do so.

Don’t Drink and Drive

When you drink alcohol, it can impair your vision and can also slow down how you would typically react to things. Tolerance levels vary from person to person, so what could affect you might not have the same effect on someone else. If you want to have a drink, leave your vehicle at home, or if you have to drive to your destination, do so and collect your car the next day.

Becoming a victim of drunk driving can be life-changing for everyone involved. Many victims have lost the ability to walk or talk, and thousands have lost their lives. Those charged with drunk driving can spend years in prison and have to live with the horror of what their actions have caused.

In some states, even establishments that have served customers too much alcohol can be prosecuted. No-one usually comes out unscathed, so if you want to do the right thing – don’t drink and drive. It could change your life and the lives of many others.

Are you Feeling Sleepy?

When you get behind the wheel, you need to feel alert. If you are at all sleepy, then you should wait until you are more awake before setting off. If you can postpone your departure for an hour and feel it would make a difference, then do so.

If you are going on a long journey, try to plan driving breaks. Parking in a layby and having a ten-minute power nap could be enough to invigorate you and make you feel more awake, so make as many pitstops as you think you need, and you won’t regret it.

If you are driving with other people, sharing the journey is another option that could help prevent an accident. Taking turns driving will allow you to catch up on sleep and reach your destination in one piece.

If it isn’t safe to stop and you feel like you could fall asleep at the wheel, open the windows to let the fresh air in, put the radio on at high volume, and have a drink of water.

Ignoring Road Signs

Whether it be a one-way system, speed limit restriction, or general warning, road signs are there to keep you and other drivers safe on the roads. Although you might be tempted to ignore them from time to time, it isn’t worth it.

Speed limits, in particular, are regularly ignored, but you must remember that they serve a purpose. Driving too fast can lead to collisions with other vehicles or driving off the road altogether, so stick with the maximum limits and keep yourself and your passengers safe.

It is suggested that many drivers don’t know what each road sign stands for, so if you are in any doubt, have a look online and refamiliarize yourself with them and what they mean.

Negligent and careless driving can change lives, so it’s up to you to do everything you can to prevent it.