If you have ever been convicted of a traffic offence, you can tell how annoying a traffic ticket can be. First, you have to spend your time and other resources as you transition from your routine to dealing with a court case.
Secondly, you may end up parting with hefty penalty amounts if the court finds you guilty. This is not to mention the restriction that the court may put on your driving license.
Though very pricey and annoying, the traffic officers will continue handing the tickets to traffic violators. That means you may fall victim anytime while on the regular use of the road.
However, learning the common traffic violations can help you avoid traffic tickets at most times. To help you out, we have outlined the five most common and most dangerous traffic violations and how you can avoid them.
- Reckless Driving
Reckless driving is the act of driving a vehicle with a willful disregard of your safety and the safety of the other road users. According to statistics, one in every three fatal accidents results from reckless driving.
It may include activities like failure to obey the traffic signs, excessive changing of lanes, overtaking vehicles carelessly, failure to use indicators when turning, sudden braking, etc. In most instances, reckless driving is due to distracted driving and lack of experience.
If you recently received a traffic ticket, or are unsure of your skills, do not wait until it’s too late. Instead, sharpen your skills with one of the most reputable driving schools in your state. If your driving school does not offer you sufficient training to supplement your skills, you can read more here.
If you fail to enhance your skills, you will risk police citation, losing your life and the life of other road users.
- Distracted Driving
Distracted driving refers to multitasking driving with any other activity that drives your attention away from the road. Examples of these activities include making a phone call, texting, eating while driving, using a navigation system, etc.
This kind of traffic violation has proven to be a growing danger, as the number of its related fatalities has been increasing with time. According to NHTSA reports, the number of deaths related to distracted driving rose from 2841 in 2018 to 3142 deaths in 2019.
This translated to a more than 10% increase in the number of deaths within a year. And, the situation could be worse today, given that the number of road users keeps on increasing daily.
You can avoid distracted driving by concentrating on driving alone. If you must use your phone or engage in any other activity, do it while parking. Alternatively, you can have someone else take you to your destination.
- Drunk Driving
Driving under the influence is among the leading causes of unnatural deaths, accounting for more than 29 deaths in a day in the US. It is a serious criminal offence in every state.
Regardless of which state you come from, driving under the influence could attract fines that exceed thousands of dollars or lead to the loss of your official documents like your driving license and car insurance. It can also send you to jail for a long time.
Luckily, there are various cause of actions you can take to avoid the repercussions related to drunk driving, including:
- Assigning the driving task to a non-drinking driver before you drink
- Not letting your friends drink and drive
- Drinking during your free time, when you don’t have any driving commitments, etc.
- Speeding
As the name suggests, speeding is the act of driving a vehicle at a speed that you cannot control should an emergency occur. The common types of accidents associated with speeding include rear-ending, head-on collision, hitting personal property or objects, rolling and so on.
Speeding is one of the leading causes of deaths in the United States. In 2019 alone, the number of deaths resulting from speeding was 9478. Like any other traffic offence, speeding can fetch you dire consequences.
It would be best if you stuck to the stipulated speed limit to save more lives and keep the traffic tickets at bay. To achieve this, you should keep your speed governor under regular inspection and maintenance.
- Ignoring Red Lights
Observing red lights is a critical concern that every driver should aim at achieving to reduce the number of deaths associated with running red lights. Observing the road signals will not only reduce the number of accidents but reduce your chances of being cited by traffic officers.
Conclusion
The violation of traffic rules is the leading cause of unnatural deaths today. Therefore, learning about these traffic violations could help to reduce the number of accidents and hence the number of deaths.
The article discussed the most common and dangerous traffic violations that can lead to fatal accidents or attract a traffic ticket. Please read through them to streamline your flaws in driving.
