The moment you get your driver’s licence is a moment you never forget. At once, you are free to explore the world and do anything that you want to do – as long as your parents don’t mind you borrowing the car and as long as you’re back at a reasonable hour. But still, it’s a freedom you’ve never had before, and that’s liberating in itself. We’re going to look at some of the main bad driving habits that can happen while drowsy. But first…
Driving drowsy can lead to car accidents. From the more serious head on collisions and t-bone side impacts, to the typically less serious rear end bumps and the paint work damage that comes from lane swerving scrapes – you may wish to get more info from a South Carolina car accident lawyer. Now, let’s carry on.
Tailgating the car in front
We all know what tailgating is. We all know, because we experience tailgaters almost every time we hit the road for longer than a few minutes. The thing with tailgating is that we can all sometimes drift a little closer to the car in front without realising it – usually because we know the roads so well that we lose that edge of awareness (especially when sleepy on the way home from work). Alas, the car in front may not know the roads so well, meaning that they may need extra time to make decisions. This can, unfortunately, lead to accidents where vital stopping distances are not observed.
If you find yourself behind a driver that doesn’t know the roads too well, and is therefore driving under the speed limit, try to remember what it’s like to be that driver, and don’t put them under extra pressure.
Over taking when it is not safe
Another leading cause of accidents is overtaking when it is not safe. Just like the previous point, this too can be caused by wanting to get ahead of slower drivers who aren’t driving at the speed limit for reasons of unfamiliarity with the local area – this can be the last thing you need while feeling sleepy, and you may be tempted to overtake when not safe. But don’t make the mistake of putting your foot to the floor to make the point of overtaking, as this puts you at risk of wheeling, spinning and losing control of the vehicle.
Emerging too early at traffic lights
This is something drivers who have been driving for many years are practically all guilty of doing. Aside from anything, emerging when the light is green is actually fine. The issue is that other drivers who sped up to get through their green light before it turned red may still be coming through the red light a moment or two late, meaning that if you emerge without a second to spare, there is an increased likelihood of a collision. Be alert. Fight your drowsiness on those long hot commutes. Roll down your window and stay present. Don’t go too early.
