Safe Driving Tips

A large number of St. Louis drivers, including those who consider themselves safe drivers, have bad driving habits.

Most drivers are confident about their driving skills, while believing that other drivers are not good enough to make the US roads a safe place to drive, says a study by Allstate. According to the findings of the study published in CNN, two out of every three drivers rated themselves as good drivers.

The fact remains, however, that a large number of drivers, including those who consider themselves as safe drivers, have some bad driving habits. Some of them drive under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs and some use mobile phones while driving. In fact, driver distraction causes many road accidents in the US. The false sense of being a good driver restricts some people to take the necessary steps to improve their driving skills. With a little effort, we believe, everyone can become a better driver and help improve road safety.

Common Driving Mistakes You Should Avoid

If you want to become a better driver, you should start by knowing your weak points. The Allstate study identified some common mistakes made by most drivers. If you too make those mistakes from time to time, consider taking the required steps to improve your driving behaviors. Here are some common driving mistakes recognized by the Allstate study.

Speeding: Many drivers have a dangerous habit of speeding. In fact, four out of every 10 drivers surveyed by Allstate said that they often drive at a speed 20 miles/hr higher than the suggested speed limit. In fact, nearly 50 percent of the men drivers and around 30 percent of the women drivers admitted that they often exceed the speed limit. This shows that men drivers commit this driving mistake more often than the women drivers.

Drowsy driving: This is a leading cause of road accidents in the USA. Many people continue to drive even when they feel tired or sleepy. This could be dangerous. In fact, around 45 percent of the respondents in the Allstate study admitted that had experience driving even when they felt fatigued or drowsy.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is another leading cause of traffic accidents. If fact, drunk driving invites heavy fines and penalties in most US states. But some people still drive under the influence of alcohol. According to the study, 15 percent of the drivers drive with a BAC level higher than the permitted limit. Around 23 percent of the male drivers admitted that they have driven under the influence of alcohol, while only six percent of the women drivers said so, according to the study.

Texting while drving: One out of every three respondents admitted that they sent emails and SMSs while driving. Texting or emailing while driving is more common among young drivers. Around 63 percent of the respondents from the age group of 18-to-29 years, and 58 percent from the age group of 30-to-44 years admitted that they indulged in texting while driving.