7 Common Driving Mistakes Car Owners Make
Let’s admit it. Most car drivers make one mistake or another. In some cases, we don’t even realize we’re committing a driving mistake. These mistakes can cause high levels of wear and tear on our vehicle, not to mention the harm to other people on the road.
Here we have rounded up some common driving mistakes you should avoid to stay safe.
Starting Up and Driving Immediately:
Do you often drive the car immediately after starting it up?
Give up this habit as a car engine require generally 15 seconds to circulate oil to main parts and let RPMs drop down. Older car requires more time. This becomes particularly essential in cold weather when the oil gets thick, requiring you to warm up the car for 20-30 seconds.
To spend those “seconds” while waiting, put on your seatbelts, see the mirror and check the stereo.
Not Checking Your Tires Pressure:
Driving with under-inflated or over inflated tires can negatively affect fuel economy, suspension, steering and other parts. Top of that, improperly inflated tires wear faster which leads frequent tire replacement. You might have a flat tire or an exploded tire in emergency. That’s why checking the pressure of your tire is extremely important.
Driving the Car Even When Engine is Overheating:
Make sure to stop the car when the engine is overheated. Otherwise, excessive heat can damage the seals which turn leads to leakages. No wonder if you end up with a damaged engine after that.
Therefore, always turn off the engine and stop the car. Or see if the car is okay to drive with coolant.
Driving When You’re Tired:
Driving while tired can be a costly mistake. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has found that 1.35 million drivers involved in any form of accidents were drowsy. So take care and take rest before getting behind the wheel. Take a nap before driving or let someone to do that.
Not Slowing Down in Raining:
Roads get slippery during the first few minutes of rainfall. The fresh rain causes the road to spill the oils on the surface. It leads to a slick layer that affects your tire’s traction. Therefore, make sure to slow down to keep control. Although the oil will get washed off to the side after as the rain continues to fall, you should slow down the car due to poor visibility.
Not Making Adjustments:
You should feel comfortable in your car so that you can focus on driving without being distracted by poor visibility, poor posture, or getting resort to weird angles. Too many drivers aren’t aware of the fact that mirrors, steering wheels and seats are adjustable.
Driving Aggressively:
Whether you’re late, annoyed or want to experience thrill, you avoid resort to rash driving in any manner. Not only speeding, stopping fast and weaving in or out of traffic put you at risk, it also risks everyone on the road. While it may seem a basic driving safety tips, it’s on that makes difference.
So these are some common driving mistakes you should avoid. It not only ensures safety to you and others on the road, but also maintains the efficiency of your vehicles.
