Have you ever laid on your horn and released a few unsavory words or gestures in response to the antics of a thoughtless and careless driver? Your Mazda dealer wants to help you avoid earning a rep as one of those drivers. Simply steer clear of these bad driving habits.
1. Speeding
Speeding is one of the more obvious driving etiquette breaches that can not only net you a hefty fine but other serious repercussions as well. If you are driving an excessive amount over the speed limit, you significantly raise your chances of a serious accident because your ability to stop in time is hindered. These odds increase if road conditions are not ideal or if you are driving in a residential area.
Too-slow driving can be equally dangerous. If you are not keeping up with the flow of traffic, especially if you are in the fast left lane, drivers behind you will become impatient and may try to pass you in a manner that is not safe. Remember that it’s not your job to police the roads: if traffic behind you wants to go more slowly, and there’s nothing keeping you from the right lane, get out of the way. Automatically adjust your speed and keep a safe distance with Mazda Radar Cruise Control available on Mazda 3, Mazda 6, and Mazda CX models.
2. Inconsiderate Driving
Drivers who drive as if they’re the only ones on the road are terrible. Inattentiveness and disregard for others are the primary traits of such drivers that manifest in a number of bad habits. For one, an un-courteous driver might drive too closely and tailgate a vehicle in front to bully the other driver into speeding up. This habit is also dangerous because it does not allow enough distance between autos in an emergency.
Further, drivers who do not pay proper attention to their surroundings because they are preoccupied with a phone, a person, food, a billboard, or any other distraction are more likely to pull out in front of another vehicle, not stop in time, or drift into another lane. The chances of a collision are therefore highly increased.
3. Disregard Signs and Signals
Observing the rules of the road and understanding road signs are critical to passing a driving test for a reason. Ingraining these behaviors into your driving will significantly reduce your accident risk. Unfortunately, some drivers lose these behaviors as their driving life progresses. For example, they might not stop fully at a stop sign or look both ways before proceeding. If it’s a traffic signal, they may speed up instead of slowing down at a yellow.
Other sign infractions might include ignoring u-turn restrictions, one-way street advisories, or no parking signs. In addition, drivers may cut a driver off while changing lanes due to a failure to activate the turn signal. The problem here is that other drivers, bikers, and pedestrians expect you to follow the signs and may not be able to react in time when you do something completely unexpected (and illegal). When you ignore signs and signals and do what you feel instead of what’s expected, you endanger everyone on the road: including yourself.
Hone your good driving habits in a ride packed with handy driver-assist features. Visit Flood Mazda and browse our inventory of modern, driver-friendly cars, crossovers, and SUVs.
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