Are You a Danger When You Drive?

A woman holding her phone while driving looks alarmed.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

When I was 15 years old and learning to drive, my grandmother told me something that I never forgot. She said driving a car is like pointing a loaded weapon at someone.

Plus, accidents can send your insurance premiums up anywhere from 10% to 50%.

Here are the top five ways you could be endangering yourself and others on the road.

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1. Looking at your phone

Let’s go for the low-hanging fruit first. You know who you are, and that’s just about literally everyone. When you get behind the wheel of your 4,000-pound hunk of metal and begin barreling down the road, how many times do you look at your smartphone? Yeah, just look at it — forget actually checking messages or doing other more intensive work, just having a peek at it. If you’re a human being in the U.S., statistically you look at your phone about 12 times per hour while driving! Sure, these glances last 1.5 to 2 seconds — no big deal, right?

You may be surprised to find out that you and your car traveled over 190 feet during the time you took to see if your significant other liked your text message with a photo of the sushi you had for lunch. That many feet and 12 times an hour means that, in a given hour, you’re covering nearly half a mile every hour as if driving blindfolded. In case it isn’t clear, driving is an activity that needs 100% of your attention. Looking away from the road and at your phone does not qualify.

2. Drinking and driving

These days, if you’re lucky enough to work in an industry where you can be face-to-face with other humans, chances are you may get invited out to happy hour (aka an excuse to drink alcohol and complain about work). This is such a popular staple of our lives that songs such as “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett are some of the most well-known jingles about the sport of workers gathering to drink. You’ve probably heard the statistics, but in case you need a refresher, over 30% of all traffic-related deaths occur due to driving while intoxicated, according to the CDC. So don’t drink and drive.

3. Being too tired

It doesn’t get as much airtime or clicks, but driving while you’re fatigued is a major cause of automobile accidents. Have you ever, after a drive, noted that you zoned out, or forgot where you were, or couldn’t remember the last few minutes? That most likely means you’re tired. Maybe you missed your usual sleep time, got up earlier than usual or your newborn kept you awake.

Studies consistently show that sleep-deprived people drive as bad or sometimes worse than people who are driving under the influence of alcohol. Let that one sink in!

4. Flooring it

That car that you put down the big bucks on can really move, can’t it? You’ve probably even bragged to a friend about how you were up to 80 mph, 90 or more and didn’t even realize it because the car rides so smoothly, that it just happened. Be on notice that the faster you are going, the more damage occurs in a car accident.

The faster you are going, the farther you travel while you’re busy looking at your phone or having some long blinks. The faster you go, the less time you have to respond as a driver.

We’re all mere homo sapiens with a fixed limit on how long it takes to respond to outside stimuli. Meaning when you’re speeding down the road, you can’t literally process fast enough to avoid or adjust to other cars or objects in your path. It’s just the reality, no matter how good a driver you are.

5. Being aggressive

Someone turns in front of you when you clearly are going to have to slam on the brakes to avoid rear-ending them — makes you pretty angry, doesn’t it? Driving while angry, aka aggressive driving, kills. I’m not referring only to road rage, which is bad enough. I’m talking about tailgating, cutting off other drivers, honking and yelling (unless you’re in New York City in the 1980s), using rude hand gestures and the like. Don’t do any of that. The satisfaction you might get from flipping off that idiot will not be worth it if you end up in an accident.

We’re all guilty of some or all of the above at some point in our lives. I get that. But being aware of something is the first step in changing the behavior. Put the phone on do not disturb. Don’t drink and drive. Get enough sleep. You don’t have the driving skills of Mario Andretti, and racing down the road truly impresses no one.

And for goodness sake, take it down a notch and chill out. Remember that driver you’re ticked at may have just had the worst day of their life. Don’t make the day worse for them, or for you.

A little awareness can go a long way — saving lives and money. Drive safe.

Disclaimer

This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.

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Karl Susman is a veteran insurance agency principal, nationally engaged insurance expert witness and broadcast host who translates insurance from jargon to judgment. For more than three decades, he's helped consumers, courts and policymakers navigate coverage, claims and compliance. As Principal of Susman Insurance Agency, Karl works directly with households and businesses to compare options and make clear, defensible coverage decisions.