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When you were learning to drive, and doing everything in your power to pass that all-important driving test, chances are you did every turn, every manoeuvre, with care. Checking the roads thoroughly, demonstrating your intentions through signalling, remaining on your side of the road, and within the lines, calmly breaking at amber traffic lights rather than racing through them and so on and so on. No one could fault you. However, ask yourself this question – are you still perfect?
As we’ve been driving for longer, as we become more experienced on the roads, and as we no longer have an instructor watching our every move, it’s very easy to pick up bad habits on the road. Most of us are guilty of having gone 35 mph in a 30 zone, driving too close to the car in front, or even passing a solid white line to overtake that slow truck causing queues behind. Bad habits such as these have become a part of everyday life for many drivers – drivers who should consider themselves very lucky if they’ve not yet caused an accident, or been fined for their behaviour. Bad habits can be very dangerous on the roads.
Why Do We Pick Up Bad Habits?
While there are many reasons that we pick up bad habits, professionals believe that the two primary reasons are stress and boredom – two emotions we experience in abundance on the roads. If we’re travelling a route we know well, a route we do every day, then we’re likely to become bored. The roads become monotonous, and we tend to become blase.
Travelling on roads we’re unfamiliar with, however, may lead to feelings of stress. We’re unsure of the layout ahead, we may struggle to get into the right lane during busy periods, or we may miss a turn. We instinctively respond to these emotions by altering our behaviour to attempt to rectify the situation, often including bad habits that may give us instant satisfaction or gratification.
The Most Common Bad Habits on the Road
Bad habits on the road can vary from small things that would account for little more than a ‘minor fault’ on the driving test, to those that would warrant a fail and lead to potentially dangerous conditions for drivers.
One of the most common bad habits we tend to pick up is eating whilst driving, with a recent study finding that around 45 percent of us can’t resist a sneaky chocolate bar or a sandwich while behind the wheel. This is usually caused by boredom, and many of think it’s harmless. However, get caught nose deep in a bag of crisps and you could find yourself with a CD10 conviction for ‘driving without due care and attention’. You’ll be given between 3 and 9 points on your licence, just because you couldn’t wait to reach the next motorways services, or pull off into a layby.
Remember – if you’re a new driver and you accumulate more than 6 points within the first two years of passing your test, you can wave goodbye to that licence.
Research shows that around one quarter of drivers use their mobile phone, either to make or receive calls or read text messages, whilst they’re on the roads. The use of a mobile phone while you’re behind the wheel (even if you’re stopped at traffic lights) is illegal. The standard penalty is 3 points on the licence, and a fine between £100 and £1000. Even 1 in ten of us admit to running red lights – an offence that sees 3 points added to the licence, and a minimum £60 fine.
Breaking the Habit
Breaking bad habits certainly isn’t easy, but it can be done. While the Pass Plus course is targeted at new drivers in particular who may benefit from additional tuition, it can be taken at any time, and may prove useful in reinforcing good driving behaviours. Experts also recommend trying to replace bad habits with good ones, rather than removing the habit completely. If you tend to respond to slow traffic with bouts of road rage, for example, try putting the radio on instead. If you always find yourself eating behind the wheel, get into the habit of taking regular breaks and snacking at service stations and rest areas. Don’t be a dangerous driver – it’s not worth the risk.
