As the saying goes, details determine success or failure. When applied to driving, all kinds of small details are crucial to the entire process of safe driving. The reason they’re called details is that they’re easily overlooked, and it’s precisely because of this neglect that unfortunate incidents occur. Therefore, from the very first day you learn to drive, you should develop good driving habits.
Here, we remind you to be aware of five dangerous driving habits that must be avoided.
Habit 1: Not Engaging the Parking Brake
Case: Last Saturday, car owner Mr. Zhang was waiting at a traffic light at an intersection in the provincial capital. After coming to a stop, he noticed that the Santana sedan in front of him was slowly rolling backward. Neither the brake lights nor the reverse lights on the back of the Santana were on, and Mr. Zhang quickly realized that the driver in front must not have pressed the brake or engaged the parking brake. He frantically honked and flashed his headlights to alert the driver ahead, but the person in front still didn’t react. The car continued to roll backward, and another vehicle approached from behind. Caught between the two, Mr. Zhang could only watch helplessly as his beloved car got hit.
Commentary: Not all drivers pay attention to the parking brake while driving. Some drivers haven’t developed the habit of engaging the parking brake when parking and only do so on obvious uphill or downhill slopes. In reality, it’s not always easy to tell whether a road section is sloped, so if you find it tiring to keep your foot on the brake while parked, remember to engage the parking brake before releasing the foot brake to avoid accidents.
Neglect Index: ★★★☆ Danger Index: ★★★★
Habit 2: Holding the Steering Wheel with One Hand
Case: Driver Mr. Zheng drives a manual transmission car and has developed the bad habit of holding the steering wheel with one hand ever since he learned to drive. Recently, this bad habit almost caused a serious accident.
That morning, Mr. Zheng was driving near a bus stop. Traffic was relatively heavy, and he habitually placed his right hand on the gearshift while using his left hand to control the steering wheel.
Suddenly, a pedestrian crossed the road. Mr. Zheng slammed on the brakes and instinctively turned the steering wheel toward the pedestrian’s rear to avoid them. But due to the suddenness of the situation, his left hand, which was controlling the steering wheel, slipped. Fortunately, Mr. Zheng, who had four years of driving experience, managed to regain control with both hands and avoided crashing into the stone curb of the central median.
Commentary: Many drivers have the bad habit of steering with one hand. In reality, when a vehicle is moving at high speed or encounters an emergency, the ability to control the car with one hand is less than half that of using both hands. In other words, situations that require both hands on the steering wheel to avert danger simply cannot be managed with one hand. During daily driving, some drivers also smoke, use their phones, or rest their hands out the window while only using their right hand to control the steering wheel and gearshift, which makes traffic accidents more likely. The correct approach is to keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times. For drivers of manual transmission cars, immediately return your right hand to the steering wheel after shifting gears to ensure the car’s direction is always under the control of both hands.
Neglect Index: ★★★★☆ Danger Index: ★★★★☆
Habit 3: Staring at the Dashboard While Driving
Case: Driver Mr. He has been a car owner for less than three months but has already been involved in a rear-end collision. Mr. He has a very bad habit of constantly staring at the tachometer on the dashboard while driving. Every time he shifts gears, he decides whether to upshift or downshift based on the RPM shown on the tachometer.
At the time of the accident, Mr. He was accelerating. While looking at the tachometer to decide when to shift up, the car in front turned on its brake lights. By the time Mr. He looked up and noticed the car in front slowing down, it was too late to brake, and he crashed into it.
Commentary: Staring at the tachometer while driving is a problem that often occurs among new drivers, especially those driving a new car.
In reality, new drivers should try not to constantly stare at the tachometer while driving. Instead, they should learn to listen to the sound of the engine to judge when to shift gears. A loud, powerful engine sound means it’s time to upshift, while a low, muffled sound means it’s time to downshift. New drivers should learn to shift gears by ear, not by eye.
Neglect Index: ★★★☆ Danger Index: ★★★★
Habit 4: Playing Music Too Loud
Case: Driver Xiao Shen was driving home alone at night. While driving, he rolled up all the windows and habitually turned the music up very loud.
Later, during a lane change, there was a sudden jolt from the rear of the car. It turned out that just as the car was about to change lanes, it brushed against a taxi that was trying to overtake from behind. Fortunately, the taxi braked in time; otherwise, the collision would have been much worse.
Commentary: Listening to the radio or CDs while driving is perfectly normal, and listening to music can even help drivers relax and effectively reduce driving fatigue. However, some drivers, especially younger ones, like to turn the volume up very loud, which can have the opposite effect.
While driving, listening to music actually requires some care. It’s best to choose soothing music, and the volume should be kept at a moderate level.
Neglect Index: ★★★ Danger Index: ★★★☆
Habit 5: Leaving Objects on the Front Seats
Case: Driver Miss Zhu rear-ended a van last month. The cause of the rear-end collision was brake “failure,” but the real reason was an apple.
That day, Miss Zhu was driving to a friend’s house. While waiting at a traffic light, she picked up an apple, took a few bites, and then, after the light turned green, casually placed the apple on the dashboard. She drove for a while, and the apple suddenly rolled off the dashboard. Since she was driving, she didn’t look down to retrieve it.
The unfortunate event that followed was predictable. The rolling apple happened to lodge under the brake pedal, preventing it from fully engaging when Miss Zhu tried to brake. As a result, she collided with the van in front, which was slowing down.
Review: The driver's compartment must be kept free from any "intrusions." Therefore, items that can easily slip or roll must never be placed on the dashboard in front of the windshield. If an object gets lodged under the brake pedal, an accident becomes inevitable. As such, if you need to carry loose items in the car, they must be secured in the back seat and absolutely not placed randomly in the front.
Neglect Index: ★★★★ Danger Index: ★★★★