Avoid the Five Most Common Driving Errors
#1: Incorrect Speed
To avoid speeding, always know the speed limit, regularly check the speedometer, and allow enough time to reach your destination. Assess the driving conditions and adjust your vehicle speed accordingly. If a vehicle is following closely behind you, slow down to encourage them to pass rather than speeding up.
#2: Violating Right of Way
Failure to yield, disregarding traffic signals, and driving through a stop sign are all examples of right-of-way violations. To scan the intersection- look left, look straight ahead, look right, and then scan back left again. This proactive driving technique will delay your acceleration by two seconds and help ensure the intersection is clear before you enter it. For more information regarding who has the right of way, check out our blog post: https://topdriver.com/education-blog/4-rules-4-way-stops/
#3: Turning Improperly
To make a proper turn, keep the car close to the curb or road shoulder to prevent other vehicles or pedestrians from moving into the area between your car and the curb. Use your turn signal, approximately 100 feet before the turn, to let other drivers know what you are doing. You may need to yield to pedestrians or vehicles already in the intersection and then complete the turn into the appropriate lane without crossing into other lanes.
#4: Passing Errors
A driver must use caution when passing another vehicle. On a two-lane highway, the left lane should be clearly seen and free of oncoming traffic for a distance great enough to permit passing. Do not turn back into the right-hand lane until you can see the entire vehicle you have just passed in your rearview mirror. You must return to your lane before you get within 200 feet of an oncoming vehicle. The driver you are passing must not increase speed until you have completed your passing. Driving off the pavement or main traveled part of the road is not allowed when passing another vehicle on the right or the left.
#5: Following Too Closely
Following Distance is the distance between you and the car in front of you on the road. This distance should be at least 3-5 seconds. Your Following Distance can be measured by selecting a stationary object on the roadway, like a tree or a lamp post, and beginning to count (one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three one-thousand) when the rear of the vehicle in front of you passes that object and continuing to count until the front of your vehicle reaches that same object. The necessary following distance can be affected by various aspects of the driving environment that we will discuss during this course.
Keep these tips in mind to prevent these 5 unsafe driving behaviors. To learn more about dangerous driving habits and how to avoid them, click here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the five most common driving errors?
Top Driver instructors see the same five mistakes show up again and again: incorrect speed, right-of-way violations, improper turns, passing errors, and following too closely. These aren't just rookie problems either, experienced drivers fall into them too. The good news is each one has a clear fix: know the posted limit, scan intersections systematically, signal early and stay close to the curb on turns, leave a real gap when passing, and maintain a 3-to-5 second following distance. Master those habits and you'll dodge the majority of preventable crashes.
How do I figure out a safe following distance?
Aim for at least 3 to 5 seconds between your vehicle and the car ahead. The easiest way to measure it is to pick a stationary object on the side of the road, like a tree, sign, or lamp post. When the rear bumper of the car in front of you passes that object, start counting "one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand." If your front bumper reaches that object before you finish counting to three, you're too close. Weather, traffic, and road conditions can stretch that minimum, so add seconds in rain, snow, fog, or heavy traffic.
When should I use my turn signal before a turn?
Activate your turn signal about 100 feet before the turn. That gives drivers behind and around you enough warning to react, especially when you start braking to your turn speed. As you make the turn, keep your vehicle close to the curb or road shoulder, which prevents another car or a pedestrian from slipping between you and the curb. Yield to anyone already in the intersection, then complete the turn into the correct lane without drifting across other lanes.
What's the rule for safely passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway?
On a two-lane highway, the left lane must be clearly visible and free of oncoming traffic for a distance long enough to complete the pass. Don't pull back into the right-hand lane until you can see the entire vehicle you just passed in your rearview mirror, and you have to be back in your lane before you get within 200 feet of any oncoming vehicle. The driver you're passing isn't allowed to speed up while you're alongside them, and passing on the shoulder or off the pavement is never legal.
How should I scan an intersection to avoid right-of-way violations?
Use the look-left, look-straight, look-right, look-left-again sequence. That four-step scan adds roughly two seconds to your acceleration off a stop, and those two seconds are usually the difference between catching a red-light runner and getting T-boned. Right-of-way violations, including failing to yield, ignoring traffic signals, and rolling stop signs, are one of the top causes of intersection crashes. Slow down, scan deliberately, and only enter the intersection when you've confirmed it's clear.
What should I do if another driver is tailgating me?
Don't speed up to try to outrun a tailgater, and don't brake-check them. The safer response is to slow down gradually, which encourages them to pass you. Stay in your lane, keep your hands at a steady position on the wheel, and let them go around at the next safe opportunity. Maintaining your own 3-to-5 second following distance to the car ahead is even more important when you're being tailgated, because if traffic in front of you stops suddenly, that cushion is your only buffer against a chain-reaction crash.
