5 Common Driving Myths That Are Causing Accidents in West Palm Beach

Pop Quiz: If you’re driving behind a school bus and it turns on its red lights, how far behind the bus should you stop? 50 feet? 100 feet? If you’re on the other side of the road, do you have to stop at all?

If you’re unsure of the answer, you’re not alone. Many Florida drivers forget the answers to these questions the minute they get their licenses, building their driving habits purely from on-the-road experience.

Unfortunately, this leads to a lot of different interpretations of road rules-and these simple mistakes are a common cause of west palm beach car accidents.

So what are the most common misconceptions among Florida drivers?

• Never let someone in! Some drivers think that they can teach late-merging cars a lesson by not letting them into the lane. Unfortunately, many cars will try to push in anyway, turning a simple merge into a game of chicken on the highway.
• If someone’s going too slow, riding their tail will speed them up! Many drivers will tailgate to “send the driver a message.” Disregarding following distances in Florida only results in rear-end collisions that usually result in heavy injuries for the tailgater.
• Cars always go before pedestrians-we’re faster! It is easy for a driver to assume he has the right of way in a car. Yet when that same aggressive driver is the one in the crosswalk, you can be sure he’ll shake his fist at a car threatening to turn in front of him.
• Yellow light? Floor it! If you ask a driver what a yellow light means, the answer is often “speed up.” However, it actually means “proceed with caution,” or more simply: stop if you can. If you absolutely cannot stop safely, continue through the light.
• Turn signals are for suckers! Drivers often assume that if they move quickly enough, they don’t need to signal. What they don’t realize is that turn signals are not for their own benefit, but for those around them who need warning before a car darts in front of them.

As experienced West Palm Beach car accident attorney, we know that even the drivers who obey official road rules are at risk from reckless drivers. That’s why we fight for justice for car accident victims. We hold dangerous drivers accountable for their actions and get our clients the help they need to recover.