10 Annoying and Bad Driving Habits of Indian Car Drivers

Bad driving habits are prevalent in India. While these do annoy most of us, they might turn out to be lethal for many. Indian roads are infamous for accidents and mishappenings. India ranks on the top in a list of 199 countries reported in the World Road Statistics, followed by China and the United States.

Road accidents claimed more than 1.5 lakh lives in the country in 2018. 4,67,000 accidents were reported in the year 2018. These accidents caused a loss of 1,51,417 lives in the country.

While some blame the Government and its lack of law enforcement for the same, the drivers are equally responsible. While Germany is known for the Autobahn, the Indian roads are known for their reckless driving styles. You can find the various types of drivers treading on the Indian roads with their eccentric driving styles.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the most annoying and bad driving habits of Indian car drivers which most of us detest.

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10 Bad Driving Habits of Indian drivers

1. Not Using Child Seats
   

   

   This might seem like a no brainer but this should be made compulsory. The Indian car drivers usually have the habit of making their child sit on their laps. While there isn’t a law regarding this but considering the hazard it poses. A good child seat shall be set up at the back of the car.

2. Not Driving in Lanes

   

   Lane driving is one of the rarest things performed by Indian car drivers. While the left-most lane is meant for heavy vehicles, it is hardly used for the same. Whereas, the right lane is the one for overtaking but usually has the slow-moving drivers cruising around. The practice of changing the lanes incessantly, without using indicators is rampant.

3. Using Cellphones While Driving
   

   

   This is something almost most of us are guilty of doing. There have been instances where a person is driving at 40 kmph on a highway just because they’re using their mobile phones while driving.

   Using your mobile phone while driving limits your concentration and can lead to an accident. While one should completely avoid using a mobile phone while driving but if it is urgent, then its recommended to pull over and take the call.

4. Tailgating
   

   

   The term tailgating refers to driving too close to the vehicle in front of you. This is a tendency most of us have. Some people do it in order to avoid someone else from entering in the space between their vehicle and in front of the other vehicle. The other lot just does it in order to pressurise the person in front to let them overtake making it one of the most annoying and bad driving habits.

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5. Coasting Downhill
   

   

   Ever seen how some people switch their cars off while going downhill? This is usually done to save some fuel. While this might save you some fuel it is surely not worth the risk.

   As soon as the ignition of the car turns off the power steering and power brakes stop working. Moreover, keeping the car in gear while driving helps you take control of it as you wish to.

6. HIGH Beam
   

   

   This is a bad driving habit that most of us want to get rid of. There are people who keep their cars on high beam all the time, just to “have a clearer view”. While you might get a comparatively clearer view on high beam it can lead to a serious accident.

   High beam lights can make the oncoming driver temporarily blind. Always use the lower beam setting on your car.

7. Not wearing seatbelts
   

   

   This is one of the most common bad driving habits. While wearing a seatbelt might seem an obvious ritual for many, Indian drivers tend to ignore that. You might have seen many car drivers fastening the seat belt and then sitting in front of that in order to avoid the warning signals. This might seem the correct thing to do for marginal comfort but is it worth more than your life?

8. Riding the Clutch
   

   

   While this might seem to be the perfect thing to do, it is messing up with your car. You might have seen people feathering the accelerator while keeping the clutch pressed. This practice leads to wear and tear of your clutch plate, clutch cables and pressure plates. Avoid riding the clutch while in a traffic jam and prefer keeping the car in neutral if and when possible.

9. Wrong Side Driving | Bad Driving Habits
   

   

   Have you ever encountered a person driving on the wrong side of the road? While they know they’re flouting the rules, they seem so confident of their deed that you get into a dilemma if you might have done something wrong. Just to avoid a U-turn a few kilometres ahead, many drivers tend to take up to wrong side driving. This puts into danger, not only their lives but of others as well.

10. Driving Under Influence | Bad Driving Habits
    

    

    People tend to get more confident when they’re under influence. There are people who prefer driving themselves rather than booking a cab. While you might be brimming with confidence and give numerous self assurances to yourself, it is suggested to book a cab home or have a designated person to drive you back home if and when drunk.

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