There are dozens of factors that influence crash risk. Vehicle maintenance and road conditions can be contributing factors. Traffic density and weather are also concerns. However, the vast majority of collisions have a direct connection to the behavior of individual motorists.
People who make questionable safety choices endanger themselves and others. They may cause preventable crashes that have life-altering consequences. According to traffic safety researchers, there has been a significant uptick in dangerous driving conduct in the last half-decade.
Certain driving habits have an outsized impact on crash risk and traffic safety. What bad driving behaviors have become more common in recent years?
1. Speeding
Speeding has been an issue for as long as there have been motor vehicles. Speed limits exist in part because some people want to go as fast as possible without any regard for the safety of others.
Researchers report an increase in the frequency of speeding violations as well as their severity. More people are breaking the speed limit more frequently now than a few years ago. As if that weren’t concerning enough, they may also exceed the speed limit by more than they might have previously.
2. Distracted driving
People have become increasingly fixated on their mobile devices in recent years. Many people cannot ignore the alert of an incoming text message or email. They feel compelled to check their devices even though they know how dangerous it may be.
Others set safety aside entirely and choose to text while driving or engage in similarly unsafe behavior. Distracted driving now causes thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries every year.
3. Road rage
The final unsafe driving habit has to do with emotional regulation. More drivers in recent years have let their frustration or anger influence their conduct.
Road rage incidents that result in car crashes have increased. So have road rage incidents that result in interpersonal violence, including assault and shootings.
Drivers generally need to pay attention to their surroundings, follow traffic rules and give aggressive drivers as much space as possible. Unfortunately, even those who truly prioritize traffic safety are vulnerable because of the bad choices made by others.
People harmed by preventable car crashes may need help negotiating an insurance settlement or filing a lawsuit. Seeking compensation from drivers with unsafe habits can help people limit their losses after preventable wrecks.