The Most Dangerous Driving Habits That Lead to Preventable Crashes

Every day, thousands of preventable crashes occur on roads throughout the country.

The scariest part?

The majority of these crashes are caused by dangerous driving habits we all know we shouldn’t be doing.

And yet drivers continue to engage in these behaviors with tragic results, including:

Horrible injuries
Thousands of fatalities every year
Families destroyed

The numbers back that up.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 40,901 fatalities occurred in traffic crashes in 2023. If that number doesn’t wake you up, nothing will.

The best part?

You have the power to prevent yourself from becoming a statistic. By knowing which dangerous driving habits cause the most crashes, you have the opportunity to keep yourself and others safe on the road.

Let’s dive in…

What You’ll Learn:

The Most Dangerous Driving Habits on The Road Today
Why Distracted Driving is Number 1
Speeding Makes Crashes Worse
Drunk/Impaired Driving
Dangerous Driving Habits You Might Overlook

The Most Dangerous Driving Habits on The Road Today

While all dangerous driving habits are bad, some carry greater risk than others.

However, all these bad habits have one thing in common…

They’re completely preventable.

That means every accident caused by these behaviors did not have to happen.

Keep reading to learn about the worst offenders when it comes to causing preventable crashes.

Why Distracted Driving Is Number 1

Did you know that a distracted driving crash is one of the most common types of crashes in the country?

Here’s why distracted driving causes so many crashes:

When you drive distracted, your eyes, hands, and focus are taken off the road. Texting while driving is a popular topic these days, and for good reason. Reading or sending a text takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. At highway speeds, that’s enough time to travel the length of a football field.

Pause for a second and think about that.

According to the NHTSA, distracted driving caused 3,275 fatalities in 2023. That was 8% of all traffic fatalities for that year. Keep in mind, those are just deaths. Tens of thousands more people suffered injuries in distraction-related crashes. Too many victims of a distracted driving wreck have had to hire a Houston car accident lawyer to seek recovery for damages.

Here are some of the most common distractions that cause crashes:

Texting: We all know texting and driving is dangerous, but many people continue to do it anyway.
Apps: Everything from scrolling through social media to inputting GPS directions into your phone takes your focus off the road.
Eating and Drinking: Pouring a drink or grabbing a bite may not sound dangerous, but it takes your attention away from what should be your number one priority: driving.
Passengers: Arguing with a passenger or even looking away to speak to someone in the backseat creates a massive distraction for the driver.

Plain and simple if it takes your attention away from the road, you increase your chances of being in a crash.

Speeding Makes Crashes Worse

If distracted driving is the new kid on the block, speeding is one of the oldest driving habits.

It’s also very dangerous.

Speeding was a factor in 29% of traffic fatalities in 2023. That means 1 out of every 3 fatal crashes involved a driver traveling above the speed limit. Speed has been attributed to a third of motor vehicle deaths for the past 20 years.

Here’s the kicker…

Not only does speeding increase your chances of being in a crash but…

It also increases the severity of a crash should you get in one. Higher speeds lead to:

Longer stopping distances
Less time to react if a hazard appears
Greater impact force
Increased likelihood of a fatality

Does that make sense?

A low-speed fender bender at 30 miles per hour can turn into a life-threatening wreck at 70 miles per hour. Speed turns minor crashes into catastrophic ones.

And like distracted driving, when speeding is combined with other hazardous behaviors like drunk driving you have a recipe for disaster.

Drunk/Impaired Driving

Drunk driving is another extremely dangerous behavior that continues to kill thousands of people each year.

In 2023, drunk drivers caused 12,429 fatalities nationwide.

That’s over 34 people every day.

Did you know that driving under the influence of drugs causes accidents, too?

Drugged driving has been on the rise as more drugs become available. Whether it’s alcohol, prescription medications, or illicit drugs, they all impair your ability to drive by:

Slowing your reaction time
Impairing your judgment
Causing reduced coordination
Blurring your vision

Driving under the influence of any substance is dangerous, and every accident it causes is 100% preventable.

Dangerous Driving Habits You Might Overlook

Some dangerous driving habits aren’t talked about as much, but they still lead to thousands of crashes each year. These are some habits you might not even think about when you get behind the wheel:

Tailgating

You should always maintain a safe following distance when driving, but tailgating is one of the most common causes of crashes. Tailgating leaves you with little to no time to stop if the car in front of you slams on its brakes. Rear-end collisions are a leading cause of injury among car accidents, and tailgating is the number one cause.

Running Red Lights

It should be obvious. But you would be surprised how many drivers run red lights on a daily basis. Intersection crashes are bad because vehicles typically collide with the side of the car where there is less protection.

Driving Drowsy

Driving while tired might not seem like it would be that dangerous, but sleeping behind the wheel is a huge problem. Did you know that driving drowsy impairs your ability to react similarly to drunk driving? Whether you’re driving down a busy city street or cruising down the highway at night, driving tired is dangerous.

Failing to Signal

It’s simple. If you’re not going to use your turn signal, then don’t make a maneuver. Other drivers will not be able to anticipate your actions, which could lead them to brake suddenly or cause a collision.

Shocked?

Don’t be. When you add up all these dangerous driving habits, we are looking at millions of preventable crashes every year.

Wrapping It Up

As you can see, preventable crashes are preventable.

Simple habits like driving distracted, speeding, driving drunk or messing with your phone can lead to devastating consequences.

Here are a few statistics to remember:

Distracted driving caused 3,275 deaths in 2023
Speeding was involved in 29% of fatal crashes
Drunk driving was responsible for 12,429 fatalities

Each of these numbers equates to crashes that did not have to happen. Eliminate these bad habits, and you’ll lower your risk of being involved in a crash.

Drive safe, friends.