Don't Be A Stupid Driver

Yes. We admit it. Those are harsh words. Nobody likes to be called stupid. But countless drivers out there are driving unsafely, endangering the lives of their fellow drivers and pedestrians alike. They are distracting themselves from the road ahead by occupying their time with non-driving related activities, completely ignoring the rules of the road taught in driver's education courses across the country.

In past articles, we've discussed avoidable driving distractions such as using a cell phone while driving. While some would argue that using a cell phone while driving constitutes stupidity, it doesn't even make the Top Five list of some of the stupid things that drivers are doing behind the wheel. Forget about fiddling with the radio. Forget about adjusting the air conditioning or heating controls. What you're about to read is just, well, stupid.

1. Shaving

   Yes, it happens. You're late for work and you've got a 5 o'clock shadow at 8:45 am. With no time to shave at home, you grab an electric razor and hop in the car. In driver's ed training, they stressed the importance of keeping your hands at ten-and-two. But those rules don't apply when you're late for a meeting, do they now?

2. Eating

   Sandwiches, bowls of cereal, plates of spaghetti -- we've seen it all. When you're hungry, driver safety rules need not apply. Everything you've learned in driver's education? Toss it out the window. Road rules? Forget about them. So go ahead, grab a meal, steer the car with your knees and you'll be good to go. Of course, we're being sarcastic here. Don't be stupid. Eat at home.

3. Applying Makeup

   Why do you check your mirrors before you put your car into drive? If you said 'to check your blind spot', you paid attention in driver's education. Well done. However, if you said 'to check your makeup' you've got a lot to learn. Cars have mirrors to help you stay safe on the road, not to help you stay attractive. If you want to apply makeup while in park, by all means, go ahead. But don't do so while driving. It's unsafe.

4. Reading

   We're not talking about maps or directions here. We're talking about novels, novellas, and short stories. Even if that book is about driver's education, it doesn't belong behind the wheel. If a book is so good that you can't put it down, please finish it before you get in your car. Otherwise, you might be enjoying that book from the comfort of a hospital bed.

5. Changing Your Attire

   Nowhere in the driver's training handbook does it say anything about having to look sharp while driving. At no point in driver's education do they stress the importance of sporting a neatly pressed shirt. So why do some people feel the need to change their shirts while driving? Are they so late that they can't change their shirt before they leave or upon arriving at their destination?

If all of these distracting driving habits seem stupid and ridiculous, that's because they are. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop people from engaging in these habits. These are the drivers who likely fell asleep in driver's ed. We'd offer them a driver's ed handbook, but they'd just read it behind the wheel.

After reading this article, you're probably thinking to yourself, "I would never do any of these stupid things while driving." While this is probably true, think about some of the other distracting things you might do behind the wheel such fiddling with the radio or using your cell phone. Although it may not seem so stupid now, wait until you get into an accident. We're pretty confident you'll change your mind.