Bad Driving Habits to Break this New Year!
06 February 2018
We all have bad driving habits that we may have picked up over the years! Take a look at our list to see which bad habits you may be guilty of and how you can try to break them!
Illegally Parking
Double yellow lines, no parking zones, disabled spaces – how many times have you parked in an area you knew that you shouldn’t? Ignoring restrictions on parking spaces can leave you with fines or even your car being towed, so if you are guilty of this it’s definitely a habit to break!
How to Break It
Simply enough, avoid parking in illegal areas! Keep an eye out for signs and road marking indicating restrictions and try to plan ahead when driving somewhere new. You can also download parking apps that can display relevant parking information about your destination and you can check these before you set off.
Not Indicating
One of the nation’s most hated driving habits is not indicating. At best this is annoying and at worst it can be dangerous for other vehicles or pedestrians! Whether you are turning out of a junction or switching lanes on the motorway, not indicating could cause a collision as other motorists may assume that you are doing the opposite to what you are!
How to Break It
Many people only indicate when there are other vehicles around and this can easily slope in to never indicating! Make a conscious effort to use your indicators at all times and it should become a second nature to you.
Tailgating
Tailgating is annoying for everyone involved. The driver in front is annoyed that someone is driving so close and the motorist behind is annoyed that they won’t speed up. This practise is unnecessary and can lead to incidents, both accidental and intentional!
How to Break It
If you are guilty of tailgating try to practise leaving space between you and the vehicle in front. Overtake when safe to do so, but you won’t get to your destination any faster by intimidating the motorist in front. Alternatively, if you are being pursued by a tailgater, you may choose to pull over when safe and let them get past you!
Running on Low Fuel
Ignoring your fuel warnings until the very last minute is a habit many motorists are guilty of – but did you know this can actually be bad for your vehicle? Driving on empty enables the grime at the bottom of your tank to flow through your fuel pump and filters which can actually result in expensive repairs!
How to Break It
Start to view the marking one ahead of the ‘empty’ marking on your fuel gauge as your minimum limit and fill up when you reach this point as you would on empty. This will help you avoid running too low and will also make your fuel bill a little cheaper!
Ignoring Dashboard Warning Lights
It can be scary to see dashboard warning lights flash up but you should never ignore them! Dashboard warning lights will alert you to a problem with your vehicle and this could be something as serious as brake failure.
How to Break It
Learn what your dashboard warning lights mean and what you should do if you notice them illuminate. If you know what your car is telling you, you are less likely to ignore it!