Who among us doesn’t have some bad behaviors that we need to work on to improve ourselves? If you didn’t raise your hand, you may be lying. This is true in everyday life and also behind the wheel of a car. The only difference between a bad habit of having too much soda or being distracted while driving is that the later habit could get you into a Connecticut car accident and leave you injured or even dead.
Bad habits when you are driving can lead you to issues that could affect the rest of your life. If you are not aware of your bad habits and you are not working to correct them it may just be a matter of time before you get into an accident or cause an accident for someone else that could become deadly. It is critical that as you are driving you are aware of the habits you have developed and how you might be able to fix them to keep yourself and those you are driving safe.
There are a number of bad habits that you can develop when you are driving, but today we’re going to focus on three of them. These three bad habits can not only lead you to an accident but they can be serious enough that your accident could lead to severe injury or death. If you are able to avoid these bad habits you will be putting yourself in a position to be one of the safest drivers among us and keep yourself and others out of harm’s way. If you continue to develop and participate in these bad habits it could be a recipe for disaster for you as you drive your vehicle through the Elm City and beyond.
Here are the three deadliest bad habits you can have when you’re driving and most importantly, how to break them so you can remain safe when behind the wheel of your vehicle.
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Distracted driving. Distractions come in all forms and while many focus on your phone as the biggest distraction you can face while you’re driving there are also other distractions that can cause you to lose control of your vehicle and get into an accident. Some of these other distractions include eating food while driving, looking at billboards along the side of the road, changing the radio station and even talking to your passengers for a prolonged amount of time.
While it is important to limit all distractions, your cellphone is likely your biggest culprit for distraction behind the wheel. In order to fix this bad habit you must, before you even start your vehicle, put your phone in “Do Not Disturb” mode and then place it out of reach. This will allow you to not hear the phone when a notification pops up or it rings from a phone call and you will be able to ignore it the entire time you are driving your vehicle. If you cannot completely ignore it, even though it is out of reach, you may want to stow it in your glove compartment until you come to a complete stop.
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Drowsy driving. There are a lot of times when you might be driving without having gotten the proper amount of sleep and this can lead you to drowsy driving. This can happen once in a while or with real regularity depending on your habits. A once in a while drowsy driving experience can be solved by simply pulling the vehicle over safely to an area where you can park and close your eyes to catch a little rest before starting back out on the road again.
If you are experiencing drowsy driving each day on your way to or from work, you may need to take steps to improve your sleep habits or work habits so that you are not experiencing these issues each day. If you are not getting enough sleep each night you need to begin to prioritize your sleep so you can wake up with more energy and not be drowsy when you are behind the wheel. Another thing that can lead to drowsy driving is not having eaten the proper food to fuel your body well enough to stay energized. Things like sugary snacks and drinks can lead to a quick burst of energy, but they will eventually wear off. If you want continued energy you will need to eat something healthier like fruits, vegetables or some form of protein.
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Impaired driving. When you are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs you are putting yourself and others on the road at great risk of getting injured or even worse being killed by your actions. This bad habit is one of the most dangerous ones you can have. It must be broken to avoid injury or death.
In order to break your habit of driving while you’re impaired you will need to make a plan to get to and from your destination if you’re planning on drinking or doing any sort of drugs. With the advent of ride sharing services like Uber this has gotten a whole lot easier in recent years, but you still must make a plan to call an Uber to get you home safely. The safest thing to do, especially if you are planning on trying to get yourself home, is to eliminate your consumption of alcohol or other drugs. Breaking these habits will go a long way to improving your chances of staying safe on the road.
There are a number of bad habits that can creep on you and put you in a bad position to get into a Connecticut car accident. If you address the three that are listed above you will be going a long way to keeping yourself and your passengers safe while you’re driving. If you continue to participate in these dangerous habits you could be putting yourself in a position of extreme danger.
If you become injured as the result of a bad habit behind the wheel or in any other way you may need to speak with an experienced attorney who can review your situation. Contact our office and one of our attorneys will work on understanding your situation and protecting your long-term interests.
