Driving etiquette may sound like something every person should already know and doesn’t really matter, but the reality is that showing consideration for others who occupy the highway is not only polite, but necessary for safety’s sake. As a Thinkquest entry on driving etiquette rightly puts it, “Everyone appreciates the good manners of a driver who: Signals his turns, makes his stops smoothly and gradually pulls to the proper lane well before making a turn.” This will keep the lives of the driver and other’s out of harm’s way.
Let driving etiquette drive how you interact with drivers
Drivers should not attempt to “shoot the fruit” and barrel through a traffic signal just before it turns red. If drivers are actually alert to their road conditions, they will typically notice a changing traffic light in plenty of time to make a smooth, safe stop utilizing relaxed braking. Too numerous accidents occur at intersections where one driver was attempting to beat a red light. This will cut down on accidents. That means you’ll have to signal correctly to those around you. In bad weather, when high-beam headlights are necessary, dim them down to regular lights when one more driving passes in the opposite direction. High beams can cause temporary road blindness that may lead to an accident. If an accident does occur and the drivers are unharmed, be prepared to share insurance info and refrain from name-calling or admission of fault.
Don’t drive intoxicated
All of us know it isn’t legal to drive drunk. Judgment and reaction times of a driver are impaired by alcohol or drugs. It is show to us by About.com that, while somewhat controversial, marijuana should also be considered a drug that temporarily damages driving ability. There are many research projects like the recent Hartford Hospital study in Connecticut cited by Click On Detroit indicate that “the results don’t imply that it is safe to drive under the influence of marijuana.”
Distracted driving could be equally dangerous, if not more so. An Associated Content article about road rage suggests that multitasking while driving simply isn’t really a good idea for most , if not all. Cell phones, makeup, video games, television and a host of other distractions can make good driving etiquette extremely hard. How can you maintain proper spacing and control at all times on the road if your attention is buried in texting while driving?
While practicing your driving etiquette, be very carefull
More data on this topic
Thinkquest.org
library.thinkquest.org/2993/drivin.htm
Associated Content
associatedcontent.com/article/355526/driving_etiquette_for_everybody.html?cat=27
About.com
alcoholism.about.com/cs/pot/f/mjkids_faq13.htm
Click On Detroit
clickondetroit.com/news/23818884/detail.html
