Every time a driver gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, they risk injury and death. Traveling in motor vehicles is innately dangerous, but people tend to take their safety for granted.
Many people travel in vehicles thousands of times without any kind of incident. That may lull them into a false sense of security. Drivers who assume that their safety is not at risk may become less consistent about obeying traffic laws. In some cases, they may develop overtly unsafe habits. All three of the common driving behaviors outlined below technically violate the law. They also put motorists at risk of preventable collisions.
Choosing not to use turn signals
Turn signals or blinkers are a mandatory feature in all modern vehicles. Drivers may justify their decision not to use their turn signals. They may assume that because they want to turn right, there is little risk. They may think that because they don’t notice any approaching traffic, they do not need to use their turn signals. The failure to communicate intentions to others in traffic can lead to preventable collisions.
Conducting rolling stops
Stop signs and red lights are legal indicators that people must bring their vehicles to a complete stop and check their surroundings. Particularly when drivers are familiar with an area, they may not always stop as they should. Rolling stops occur when a driver slows down but does not come to a full stop at an intersection as required by lights or signs.
Exceeding the speed limit
As the phrase implies, a speed limit is the maximum legal speed at which drivers can operate on a particular road. Despite clear rules imposing specific speed limits on different types of streets and signage advising drivers of the speed limit, exceeding the limit is incredibly common. On highways and interstates, drivers may routinely exceed the speed limit by 10 miles per hour or even more with little consideration of the risk associated with that decision. Not only do people risk traffic enforcement actions, but they could also end up in crashes if they lose control of their vehicles or fail to stop in time because of excess speed.
Drivers who habitually make choices that break the law also expose themselves to unnecessary car crash risk. Those involved in collisions caused by drivers engaging in unsafe behaviors may have grounds for personal injury lawsuits or insurance claims. Holding unsafe drivers accountable can compensate people injured in preventable motor vehicle collisions.