27 October 2016 · Motoring Tips & Advice
Dangerous Driving Habits You Should Break | Phil Gilbert Hyundai
The face of dangerous driving today isn't a man stumbling out of the pub and into his car, or a P-plater attempting warp speed in a 40 km/h zone. It's something much more subtle and therefore more insidious. Everyone knows you shouldn't drink drive or speed excessively, and most people avoid these behaviours and call out friends who engage in them.
The Car Feed
Eating and drinking in the car is very tempting, especially if you have an early commute and need that first coffee. But before you start refuelling on the go, consider the potential problems if you spill hot coffee in your lap or your burger falls apart and ruins your work clothes. It only takes a split second distraction to cause an accident.
When you’re eating you will probably only have one hand on the wheel too, and that’s more likely to be covered in grease. It’s best to get up a little earlier or wait a little longer to get that sweet caffeine and bacon breakfast hit.
Vanity Thy Name Is Collision
Driving while putting on makeup or shaving is so common amongst hurried and harried workers that it has become a cliché. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous. Not only are you trying to do a task that takes your conscious attention away from driving, but you have at least one hand off the wheel and, at least sometimes, your eyes off the road and on your reflection.
The Pet Problem
Everyone loves their pets. They’re like little children except they can’t talk back. Having pets in the car unsecured can be incredibly dangerous. They can create everything from a simple distraction to an actual obstruction should they become excited and climb on you. If you do want to transport pets, make sure they are secured in a carrier.
Sweet Dreams
Most people wouldn’t drive and drinking but staggering numbers of us would drive on little or no sleep and that’s basically just as bad. Even if you don’t fall asleep behind the wheel – which happens a lot – your ability to focus and you reaction times are both seriously impaired when you’re tired.
Seductive Little Screens
From in-car entertainment to navigation systems to on-board DVD players to Pokémon Go, there are now so many ways that little screens can draw and hold your attention. As a general rule, if any gadget needs to be fiddled with and requires you to actually look at it, pull over – if you can’t justify pulling over, it’s probably not that important and can wait.
Those are our 5 tips for avoiding distractions and preventing accidents on the road. Feel free to share your own tips in the comments below. If you want to make your ride even safer, book your car in for a service or consider upgrading to a new car with app-integration technology.
Whatever your vehicle needs around Sydney, the team at Phil Gilbert Hyundai are here to help you.
