30 Signs Of A Bad Driver

1. Going Through Red Signals

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To keep cars and pedestrians safe at junctions, traffic signals are implemented to coordinate the traffic safely. If people jump these lights they run the risk of causing harm to themselves or somebody else. People can miss the lights if they are distracted with something else, in or outside of the car or a reckless driver who is too impatient to wait.

2. Poor Clutch Control

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This observation of poor clutch control is for people who drive manual vehicles. If you see people rocking back and forth at stop signs or a crunch from a persons car as they are trying to change gear, then they have poor clutch control of their car. A driver should be able to hold their car on a slight incline just using their clutch and should change gears without grinding the gears.

3. Weaving Between Lanes

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Cruising down the highway on a summers day with the windows down is a great time to be a driver. The freedom. The open road. What does spoil this idyllic scenario is people swerving in and out of the lanes with no due care for any other road user. This is not only dangerous for themselves but other drivers as the unpredictable change of direction could cause an incident at high speeds.

4. Lack Of Signalling

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Picture this. You are following a car down the road when suddenly, the car in front turns down a side street with no warning causing you to break suddenly to avoid a collision. The person in front did not use their signalling lights or indicators to warn the other cars around the manoeuvre they were undertaking. Silly Driver! Always use your indicators!

5. No Checking Of Mirrors

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Another aspect of driving that is quickly forgotten after you complete your test is checking your mirrors before you manoeuvre your vehicle. This could cause accidents with other vehicles, pedestrians or with other objects near the road such as a streetlights or fire hydrants. Blind spots that the mirrors do not detect also need to be checked in case of incoming cars. These mirrors with the attachment show the blind spot.

6. Over The Lines In A Parking Bay

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We have all been walking through a parking lot and seen a car like this. This will be for two reasons. One, because someone thinks they have too big of a car for the space they need to take up to. Two, they have no spatial awareness and regardless of the size of their car they cannot seem to get it in the lines. Whatever the reason, these are signals of a bad driver.

7. Reverse Bay Park

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Reverse bay park is another manoeuvre that is avoided by some due to its difficulty for them few. In reality, reverse parking using your mirrors is not a difficult task but some people still manage to struggle. If you are one of those struggling, practice in an empty car park to understand the mechanics as you reverse. Alternatively, you could just drive into the space!

8. Using A Phone

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Now, this is not only a sign of a bad driver, using your phone whilst you drive is illegal. The amount of distraction can have catastrophic consequences with many deaths cause by mobile phone used by driving. Nothing can be as important in that exact moment than driving the car safely, regardless of what the texts says. Hands free sets where no touch of the phone will significantly reduce the distraction.

9. Can't Parallel Park

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A more difficult skill that more people have not mastered is parallel parking. As this manoeuvre is not often used, less people are fluent or confident in parallel parking between two parked cars. Practice is one way you can improve but understandably this may seem nervous when parking between two strangers cars. Youtube videos are a great way to learn different ways to remember to parallel park.

10. Lack Of Anticipation

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A lot of driving is looking at other drivers and anticipating their next move. This becomes a harder task as it may seem when the other drivers are not signalling or driving erratically. If the driver is not observant and concentrated on something else, they may not see or predict the movements of other cars. As a driver, you need to look at the whole road and what that may happen.

11. Anger, Vengefulness And Righteousness

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During your journey it is possible that you will reach any of these three emotions of driving. Anger may occur if you are cut across by another road user which may lead to you shouting, swearing or getting red in the face. Vengefulness could be formed when you are overtaken by someone and you try to take the position back. Righteousness will be shown when you believe you are the greatest driver of all time. When driving, try not to show any of these emotions as your performance will be hampered.

12. Never Makes A Mistake

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The only way to improve in anything in life is to admit to your errors. If you don't acknowledge your floors, then you will not see any progression. This is the same with driving. You need to be aware and focus on the gaps in your ability or knowledge and try to improve these to become a better driver. Constant reflection will help you keep a high standard of driving.

13. Right Of Way

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There are lines all over the road and as a road user, it is your duty to know what these markings mean and when cars are using them what this means for the direction and priority of traffic. If you are unsure of what I am talking about then please go and do a little bit of research on the highway code. You can thank me later when you avoid being the reason for a crash!

14. Lack Of Understanding Of The Car

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The dread that comes over you when the lights on your heads up display of your car starts flashing is a feeling that is shared with every road user. It is important however that you know what to do in these situations and to identify when your car is unsafe to drive. Your cars manual will have many of these answers including what the lights mean on the dash.

15. Reliance On Driving Aids

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If you have the financial stability to buy a modern car with all the gadgets and gizmos, it may not be a good thing for your driving ability in the future. Although reversing cameras, lane assist or parking sensors may seem handy at the time, over time you may become over reliant on these driving aids which will lower your ability as a driver. Think about a time before futuristic gadgets, how would you manage reversing your car?

16. Ignoring Signs Of Trouble

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We have already spoken about knowing what the lights on your dashboard mean and what to do if you are unsure on what these lights mean. This is for drivers who have a car of a certain age which may not tell them every issue with their car automatically. It is important for a driver to understand what a flat tyre, sluggish acceleration or faulty headlight would feel or look like.

17. Poor Techniques

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Everyone has their own way of driving and if you have completed your driving test recently, you may have some of the fundamentals strongly embedded. As you drive more, some of these fundamentals will falter for a more 'comfortable' style. Letting these slip too far will have a negative impact on your driving and therefore, increase the chance of an accident.

18. No Adjusting For Conditions Or Car

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We have always seen that one person either towing a trailer recklessly or driving through challenging conditions carelessly. Driving to match your conditions whether this be to do with your vehicle or the road is important to ensure yours and other road users safety. Replacing your tyres with deeper tread and driving slower when icy are some of the ways to stay safe.

19. People Tell You

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We all have that one friend or relative that loves to complain or pick holes in your driving and your decision- making. This can be extremely draining for the driver and sometimes unjust. However, if multiple people say the same things about your driving, then it is probably true and you should make adjustments. This isn't only for safety but for passenger satisfaction and a lack of moaning in your ear while you are behind the wheel.

20. Being Pulled Over

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Everyone remembers the first time they were pulled over by the police. Some of these maybe routine checks that they are doing in the particular area or when you have genuinely made a mistake and need a warning. If you feel like you are being pulled up on multiple occasions and/ or you don't know the reason for the police intervention, it is probably time for you to make an adjustment to avoid any more bother.

21. Avoid Certain Driving Situations

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Some drivers avoid driving in certain situations such as snowy conditions or highways. This may be soon after you have passed your test to build up more confidence first, but others carry this on long after they have first got behind the wheel. This will limit your options when travelling to destinations and when you are able to travel. Getting over your fears is easier to do early in your driving experiences.

22. People Are Always Overtaking You

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We would never say to drive over the speed limit or recklessly. If you are travelling on the highway and all the cars are overtaking you and the slow nature of your driving is causing cars to break behind you, then you are driving too slow. You can be pulled over for driving to slow as you are seen as a safety hazard on the road. Pick up the pace up to the speed limit.

23. You Drive Tired Or While Under The Influence

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Tiredness, drink and drugs are main contributors to road traffic accidents in the United States. Doing this no matter the urgency or your perceived priority of your journey is completely irresponsible and dangerous. The punishment is severe and the police are clamping down on dangerous drivers. If you are tired, take a break and if you have been drinking alcohol, get a taxi.

24. You're Always Getting Lost

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With the emergence of satellite navigation systems, including the ones on your smart phones, the importance of direction and navigation as reduced in the last ten years. Although not a requirement, a sign of a good driver is someone who knows the roads and can interpret road signs. This will help if you leave without your phone or the battery of your phone dies.

25. You're Always Getting Into Accidents

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Whether this is an accident with another road user or a scrape against a stationary objects, you do not want these adding up. Firstly, the cost of cosmetic and mechanical damages will soon become an unwanted expense and your insurance will be effected by the number of incidents with other road users. Make sure you are using your mirrors and not rushing or risking a mistake in any situation.

26. Scare Passengers Often

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You are the best friend or the golden sibling if you are the taxi on a night out or you are the airport lift for their drop off and pick up. If after sometime these requests die down or people actively avoid getting in your car, then you may need to asses your own driving. Although this break from carrying passengers may be nice, you do not want to be the one friend who they don't trust.

27.You Can't Talk Or Listen To Music

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Everyone loves a long drive with the music on, singing along and talking about life events or utter nonsense. There is nothing worse than a drive in complete silence. This may be due to the driver needing all their focus or concentration on driving safely. Even though a lack of distractions is a good thing, there should be a balance with a bit of background noise.

28. White Knuckling The Wheel

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Some people have many different ways to show that they are scared, stressed or any other emotion behind the wheel. One way to identify one of these emotions is someone who grips onto the steering wheel so tight that you can see their knuckles go white. The driver may do this to keep control of the vehicle but not only will there be a lack of control when driving, it makes you wonder how they got into a situation where they feel they need to do this?

29. Dents In Your Car

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You can tell if someone is a unlucky or bad driver without even seeing them drive their car. If you look at someone's car and it is full of dents, bumps, scratches and scrapes. These may be a coincidence, but they can be a strong indicator that they have but the car in some sketchy situations. To disguise this, you could get some body work done but this could be expensive.

30. Parking Tickets

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The last one on our list is easily avoidable if you are observant when deciding where to park your vehicle. Parking tickets or fines are a massive pain but can be avoided if you look at the signs on the parking lot. If you are a serial offender, these fines can soon add up to be an expensive outlay out of your bank account. Just be cautious when you park in the next car park or side street.