When someone decides to drive recklessly, they put the lives of everyone around them in danger. Unfortunately, there is very little these drivers can do on the road to stop this behavior, but it is possible to avoid them. When the cost of car accident injuries can be more than several thousand dollars, spotting the signs of a reckless driver can protect your health and your finances. To improve your level of safety on the road, here are three signs of a reckless driver:
Trouble staying in their own lane
If a driver is slowly drifting into other lanes, wildly changing lanes with no signaling, or seems to have difficulty driving in a straight line, there are any number of causes for this kind of dangerous driving. Cell phones, driving while under the influence, and even road rage can result in a driver taking much more space on the safe road.
Speeding/slow driving
A slow driver can be harder to spot than you may think. When driving at high speeds on the highway, you can wind up approaching a slow driver very rapidly. Watch for other cars suddenly changing lanes, as they may also be avoiding a slow driver. Speeders are also very hard to spot, as by the time they appear in your mirrors, they may already be next to your vehicle. Regularly check your mirrors to look for drivers that may be weaving through traffic. Once they pass you, try to keep tabs on them, as they may cause an accident further down the road.
Obvious distraction
If a driver is clearly looking at their phone, texting, eating or drinking, reaching for something, or talking on their cell phone, their focus is not 100% on the road and the cars around them. A few seconds not looking at the road on a highway is like driving hundreds of yards while wearing a blindfold.
How to react
If you see a driver on the road that you suspect is a negligent or reckless driver, do not speed past them to get away from them. You may cause your own accident or startle the reckless driver into causing their own accident. Allow the dangerous driver to pull ahead from you while keeping a watchful eye on them from a distance. Spotting a reckless driver before they cause an accident can give you the time you need to react safely.