How You Drive Says a Lot About Your Personality

Have you ever been cut off by someone who made a split-second decision to put you and their life at risk? If so, you probably met someone who has a high-risk tolerance and goes through life without stopping to smell the roses.

Every year, roughly 1.3 million people die in car accidents worldwide — an average of 3,287 deaths per day according to Driving Tests.

Observing people throughout the years, I’ve always wondered why they drive the way they do. You’ve got drivers who take their time and are courteous, but on the flip side, you have people who always seem to be in a rush.

Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead.

— Mac McCleary

If You’re a Fast Driver

You leave late, you're impatient, you're a rule breaker. There are lives at stake on the road and these people who are there with you have families and friends too.

Not everyone who’s a fast driver should feel bad, however there are speed limits for a reason because of potential collisions, blind spots, and high traffic frequency.

If you’re within a pack of cars all going 5 to 10 mph over the limit, you’ve automatically improved your odds of not being the one that gets pulled over for a speeding ticket, even though you’re all technically speeding.

The cop has to pick one car; if you go with the flow of traffic, it probably won’t be you according to Auto Blog.

Just because you may not get pulled over on your trip doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be safe and stay below ten mph over the stated limit.

In the past, I used to be a fast driver and roll stop signs, but that’s because I never left on time and always felt like I needed to minimize the time I was on the road. Bad habits don’t stick when you’re self-aware and realize you’re doing it or someone else calls you out.

Leave sooner, drive slower, live longer.

— Author Unknown

If You Drive The Speed Limit

You’re safe, you leave on time, and you look out for those around you. I give myself a maximum over the speed of 10mph, but typically only stay around the speed limit or above 5. It’s a way to avoid getting tickets and avoid any accidents.

Some drivers think they’re in a race with everyone else or that being a few minutes late to their destination is going to break them. In certain cases, this causes inattentiveness and fatal accidents.

Sometimes the flow of traffic is below the speed limit. But more often than not, the flow of traffic is above the posted speed limit. … Whether you’re driving above or significantly below the speed limit, you are at a higher risk for a car accident and a traffic violation according to Anthem Injury Lawyers.

Driving safely saves lives and allows everyone to live longer. Your diligence in driving the speed limit shows you have patience. It means you’re aware of your surroundings. You’re a very observant person who looks out for others.

Road sense is the offspring of courtesy and the parent of safety.

— Author Unknown

If Your Car is Clean

You are organized, care about presentation, and have your ducks in a row. There are people who have loads of fast food bags or empty drinks in their car and it’s off-putting. It only takes a few minutes here and there to keep things in order and maintain a clean presence in your vehicle.

One of my favorite things to do is throw away all of my trash and air out my car at gas stations. The trash bins are conveniently there next to your car and you don’t have to worry about adding any rubbish to your personal trash bins.

A clean car lets your passengers know that you take care of yourself. By maintaining a standard of cleanliness you’re showing respect to your passengers as well as yourself. A cluttered environment doesn’t allow you to think clearly and focus on the most important thing — driving.

Tidy car, tidy mind.

— Author Unknown

If You Do Regular Car Maintenance

You care about your safety, you’re a good planner, and you don’t mind doing what it takes to be successful. People who regularly maintenance their car show due diligence for not only them but everyone on the road as well.

It’s better to take two minutes every day to do tire checks, and oil inspections. rather than break down on the side of the road in the middle of winter, and need to get towed. The small things matter. If you get your maintenance done regularly, then you’re less likely to run into problems down the road.

On a regular basis, you should bring your car in for a car tune up as well as replace consumable items such as motor oil, radiator coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, wiper blades and brake pads according to Tire Pros.

My military experience operating heavy equipment for high priority missions meant lots of PMCS (Performance Maintenance Checks and Services). By doing these checks, we avoided flat tires, breaking down, and stopping production. These life lessons carried over to the civilian world and it’s paid off.

Relationships, like cars, should undergo regular services to make sure they are still roadworthy.

— Cygmunt Bauman

Final Thought

Driving is something millions of people do every day. We might see it as simply a means of transportation, but it’s a direct reflection of the way we take care of ourselves and live our lives.

If any of the points I made above spoke to you for better or for worse, then you can either keep your good habits or get rid of bad ones. The goal is to get from point A to point B safely, live a good life, and live to see another day.

There’s so much to do in life and a lot of it involves driving. I hope you make it to your destination safely and wisely.