Three Common Driving Mistakes to Avoid

We may be getting smarter as a species, but we’re not becoming any safer at driving. At least that’s what the data says. In 2015, the number of traffic deaths in the U.S. spiked by 8 percent—the biggest jump in half a century. By 2016, that statistic increased again, resulting in more than 40,000 traffic fatalities. As 2017 draws to a close, let’s take some proactive steps to being safer on the road.

Traffic accidents are usually the result of human error, but which driving errors most frequently result in accidents? In this week’s post, we examine the three most common instigators of car accidents.

Driving Blind

When you drive without being able to completely see ahead of or around you—perhaps due to weather conditions, a blind curve in the road or another vehicle obstructing your view—and you assume the coast is clear, these are example of blind driving. Such mistakes account for about 12 percent of car accidents.

Rear Ending

We may think of rear ending as a minor incident—you skidded out on the ice when you braked at the light and tapped the bumper of the car in front of you. However, rear ending accidents are often the result of high-speed driving: following behind a driver too closely in an effort to hurry them along. Such accidents can have disastrous crashes. Rear-ending makes up around one-quarter of all car accidents.

Distracted Veering

Distracted driving has become an increasing problem in recent years. Whether you’re rubbernecking at a roadside crash, setting your GPS or just planning your weekend in the car, distracted driving often leads to inadvertent veering into another lane of off the road entirely. It constitutes 33 percent of all car crashes.

To help avoid a car accident this year, stay alert and be conscious of avoiding these common mistakes.