What To Do If You Spot Questionable Driving In Front Of You

As important as it is to drive safely and be considerate of other people, unfortunately, not everyone gets the message. This can be perplexing given how dangerous poor driving on the road can be, but of course, what matters is learning how to react to a situation like this as opposed to feeling outraged about it. The absolutely worst thing you can do on the road is escalate any situation or try to demand others behave in a certain way, leave that to the police.

So, in this post, we hope to help new drivers, perhaps those who are recently qualified and going through their car insurance quotes to get on the road, with the confidence to deal with unsafe and incapable drivers. Unfortunately, you’re bound to find a road user such as this sooner or later, and so remaining prepared and knowing what to look for can remain one of the most important skills you’ll ever keep with you. With that in mind, please consider:

Turn On Your Dashcam, Or Ask A Passenger To Record

A dashcam can be one of the most useful tools for staying safe on the road, not because people are worried about you recording them of course, but it can back up any claim you make. If you have one, make sure it’s on before you set out. This means that, fingers crossed and touch wood this doesn’t happen, a dangerous driver dings, chips or hits your vehicle, you can prove it immediately. If you don’t have a dashcam, a passenger can use their phone to record if a particularly dangerous situation arises, but only if it’s safe to do so. It’s better to have a clear record than to rely on memory when explaining an incident later, and you may help someone through legal difficulties thanks to this.

Keep A Wide & Far Berth, Even If You Slow Down

When you spot a driver behaving recklessly, the best thing you can do is give them plenty of space. Slow down, hang back, or even take another route if you need to. If you need to slow down and there are cars behind you, put your hazard lights on. It might feel frustrating to adjust your driving for someone else’s mistakes, but staying calm and keeping your distance is far safer than trying to overtake or keep pace. You may even save a life like this. Their poor behavior isn’t your problem to fix, and the best way to handle it is to stay well out of their way.

If Concerned, Call The Police

If someone’s driving is dangerous and you’re concerned they might hurt themselves or someone else, it’s worth calling the police.Not everyone wants to call the emergency line immediately, but if the car doesn’t seem to be improving after a couple of minutes, it may take little for them to swerve into another car or cause real harm within moments. Note their license plate, vehicle description, and location, but don’t try to confront them or follow too closely. The authorities are trained to handle these situations, and they’re much better equipped to deal with it than you are, so this can help you feel peace of mind. If, of course, there’s a real violation such as them running a red and missing other cars, then definitely call the emergency line.

With this advice, we hope you can more easily know what to do should you find a bad driver on the roads.