Your safety on the road doesn’t just depend on how well you maintain your vehicle and your own driving skills. The behavior of people you encounter on the road will also affect your safety.
Unfortunately, drivers frequently make bad decisions with little regard to how they might hurt other people. Identifying some of these dangerous driving decisions can help you take appropriate action if another driver causes a major crash.
Drunk driving
For decades, both law enforcement efforts and public awareness campaigns have tried to spread the word about how driving after drinking or consuming drugs is unsafe. Every year, thousands of Americans lose their lives and even more suffer massive injuries or extensive property damage because someone else chose to drive while impaired.
Distracted driving
Mobile phones, GPS devices and even built-in screens in vehicles demand the attention of drivers who should focus on the road. While screens aren’t the only source of distraction, they are one of the most common sources and also the most provable. If you suspect that screen-related distraction caused a crash, you can notify the police, who can check security or traffic camera footage or even mobile network records.
Drowsy driving
While less well-known than the other two bad driving decisions on this list, drowsy driving is probably the most common. As many as one in 25 drivers admit to falling asleep at the wheel just in the last month. Even those who don’t pass out due to exhaustion can still display significant impairment because of how tired they feel.
Avoiding dangerous driving habits can help protect you. Being able to identify them in others can give you a better chance when taking legal action after someone else causes a serious motor vehicle collision.