In order to pass your driving test you will have to take a theory and practical exam. During the learning process you will be taught all sorts of things about careless driving. After all, this is one of the most common reasons accidents happen on UK roads, and being aware of what’s deemed careless or not is vital!
However, once you have passed and you’ve at last got your hands on a full driving licence, it’s very easy to pick up bad habits that you might not think are dangerous, but the police do. There have been many stories over the years about people who have been taken to court for what a policeman thinks is careless driving, but might seem a little “over the top” to the average person. However, you have to remember it takes a split second for an accident to happen and it can have horrendous consequences.
Standard Rules That Apply
There are some obvious rules you should make sure you adhere to at all times, but if you’ve only recently passed your test, it doesn’t hurt to refresh your memory. Think about the following every-time you get into your car:
- Never overtake another vehicle on the inside.
- Do not drive too closely to the vehicle in front of you. Not only will this catch the attention of the law, you may end up having to make an insurance claim because you’ve hit the back of someone-else.
- Of course this is a pretty obvious point but don’t think you will never get caught if you drive through a red light. In fact, you’ll be surprised at the number of drivers who end up in an accident for this reason.
- Be very careful when you’re coming out of a side road. If you do this and you’re in the path of another vehicle people can get hurt!
The Less Obvious
It’s not difficult to let your concentration lapse when you’re driving. After all, it’s not long before it becomes second nature to you so consider some of the points below:
- Don’t eat your lunch while you’re driving.
- NEVER use your rear view mirror for anything else other than what it’s there for.
- As you will no doubt know, using a mobile phone without a hands free kit is now illegal in the UK but even if you do use one, this may be frowned upon by the police.
- Taking out a cigarette and lighting it will take your mind of what’s happening on the road, and it will also give your hands something-else to do other than steer your car!
- Tuning your car radio in or putting a CD on to listen to can also land you in a fair bit of trouble.
Overall
The words above are just a condensed collection of information when thinking about careless driving. The fact is you can run the risk of getting points on your licence, being handed a hefty fine or even worse being disqualified from driving if you’re deemed to have been careless. Never forget that your car is not an invincible bubble that will protect you from anything, and you’re the one that should be in control at all times!
