What are the other behaviors that hinder safe driving while driving?
4 Answers
Behaviors such as smoking, using a mobile phone, turning around to chat, changing clothes, bending down to pick up items, watching in-car videos, or any other actions that significantly affect the driver's ability to drive safely are considered illegal activities that hinder safe driving. Article 62 of the Regulations for the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law stipulates that the following behaviors are prohibited while driving a motor vehicle: driving when the doors or compartments are not properly closed; hanging or placing items within the front or rear windows of the driver's compartment that obstruct the driver's view; making or answering handheld phone calls, watching television, or engaging in any other behavior that hinders safe driving; stalling or coasting in neutral on steep downhill slopes; throwing items onto the road; driving a motorcycle with hands off the handlebars or hanging items on the handlebars; driving continuously for more than 4 hours without stopping to rest or stopping for less than 20 minutes; honking the horn in areas or road sections where honking is prohibited. Other regulations regarding driving. Article 44 of the Regulations for the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China states that on roads with two or more motor vehicle lanes in the same direction, the left lane is the fast lane, and the right lane is the slow lane.
Once while driving, I was eating a burger and watching the road at the same time, nearly rear-ending the car in front, which made me realize how dangerous distracted driving can be. Similar behaviors include texting on the phone, scrolling through short videos, adjusting music volume, or chatting loudly with friends in the back seat. These may seem like minor things, but they can cause you to miss sudden braking ahead, leading to rear-end collisions. Sometimes, driving while overly fatigued, struggling to keep your eyes open, slows your brain's reaction time, making lane changes prone to errors. Another example is driving under emotional agitation, like road rage, where you might stomp on the accelerator to overtake, completely forgetting the dangers visible in the rearview mirror. These actions don't just affect you—they also endanger pedestrians and other vehicles. It's crucial to stay fully focused while driving, minimizing distractions, because safety should always come first.
As someone who frequently attends safety lectures, I've seen too many accidents stemming from daily negligence. Playing with a phone while driving is the most common issue—looking down for just a few seconds at 60 km/h is equivalent to driving blind for dozens of meters, posing an extremely high risk. Eating or drinking beverages takes hands off the wheel, and in the event of an emergency maneuver, control is lost. Engaging in heated arguments with passengers or blasting loud music distracts attention, causing missed road signs or traffic signal changes. Drowsy driving is even worse—the brain operates in a semi-sleep state, reducing judgment and alertness, which can lead to skidding or veering off the lane. Driving while emotionally unstable, such as during an anxiety episode, increases impulsive decisions and collision rates. Cultivating good habits, like turning off notifications every time you get in the car, prevents these small behaviors from turning into major disasters.
When I was a new driver, my friend got distracted while putting on makeup while driving and ended up hitting a guardrail. This shows how many seemingly harmless activities can be dangerous: like adjusting the radio or navigation, snacking, touching up makeup, or looking at billboards. Drowsy driving over long distances is also a major issue—muscles stiffen, reactions slow down, and you might even take the wrong exit. Emotionally, driving right after an argument can lead to irritability, ignoring speed limits, and speeding into accidents. And when dealing with a crying child in the car, turning to comfort them might make you forget to check the rearview mirror, leading to a collision while changing lanes. Any small distraction can escalate into a fatal accident. Since then, I’ve made it a rule to focus solely on driving, even postponing minor tasks until I’ve parked.
