DEADLY BAD DRIVING HABITS

Many South African drivers know all the basic road rules, but are not following them.

Statistics from Arrive Alive show that nearly 3,500 people in South Africa die on the roads everyday, and thousands others are left injured mostly because they don't follow simple rules such as fastening their seatbelt or they are driving drunk, talking on their phones, or they just have anger management issues. Here are four widely known road rules that drivers tend to take for granted, and can prove to have deadly consequences if not followed.

• Buckle up no excuses.
  

Before deciding that wearing a seat belt will make you look uncool, think first of how uncool it will be when you crash your car and you fly out of your windscreen breaking all your bones, or even worse, how sad it will be when you don't return home to your loved ones. 

The job of a seatbelt is to hold the passenger in place, to prevent the passenger from flying forward if a car stops abruptly in the case of a collision. Whats even more important is that, the law also requires you to wear a seatbelt, so by not wearing one you are breaking the law and putting your life and other passengers in danger.

• Using your cell phone.

These days with smart phones all over the place it's hard to separate yourself from your phone as everything is easily accessible. But the use of a cellphone has proven not only to be distractive but also very deadly.  

Distractions behind the wheel, many of which are related to cell phone use are responsible for accidents. 

Driving is quite a complex task that requires concentration to the max, any lapse in concentrating on the road increases risks of being involved in a crash. Rather get a hands-free device for those emergency situations where you need to make a call. Because a quick look at your phone to send a text or make a call could mean the end of your life.

• Drinking and driving. 

It's always that one drink that turns into one too many that gets you into trouble. "It was only just a few drinks though, I'm not drunk!" a statement many involved in drinking and driving make when caught by police. Drinking alcohol whether it be one glass, six bottles or a shot affects your driving skills and increases the likelihood of you engaging in risk-taking behavior. One doesn't  have to be drunk to be affected by alcohol, you might feel normal, but no one drives as well after drinking alcohol. So if you want to get sloshed get a sober friend to drive you home, even better, arrange before getting drunk that a cab collect you at the exact spot where you will be.

• Road rage/anger management
  

People can be very aggressive on the roads, while others are just going through a bad day some are just generally mean individuals and will stop at nothing to get their way. It so easy to be peeved off by people with that kind of attitude but while retaliation may seem like a good idea at  the time, it can have fatal consequences as retaliation can also  be perceived as aggression which often leads to incidents of road rage. You want to avoid doing or saying things that may be interpreted as a threat or challenge.

Break away from these bad driving habits to reduce your chances of being involved in a regrettable situation.