Driving etiquette refers to the unwritten or unspoken rules that drivers follow.[1][2][3] The term dates back to the early 1900's and the use of horse-drawn carriages.[4] Driving etiquette typically involves being courteous and staying alert, which varies by vehicle, situation and location (e.g., etiquette for driving an F-1 race car[5] has different rules than driving an RV[6]). Failure to adhere to this behavior can cause an increased risk of legal consequences, road collisions, trauma and road rage.[7]

Driving etiquette can extend beyond in-vehicle actions:[8] When a courteous driver scrapes the fender or inflicts minor damage to a parked car without its owner present, he leaves a note giving his name, telephone number, and the name of his insurance company. If the owner is present, the courteous driver exchanges insurance information politely and contacts the proper authorities. Breaches in driving etiquette can often be addressed cordially with a simple and immediate expression of apology.[9] Its guiding principle is "one good turn deserves another",[10] and is considered a vital part of responsible driving.[11] Speeding and aggressive driving, examples of poor driving etiquette, have been cited as negative factors related to rural highways.[12] Drivers need driving etiquette education to lower the risk of causing accidents.[13]

Driving etiquette by country

Chile

"Many Chileans have tendency to speed, pull out of lanes without signaling, and rarely demonstrate driving etiquette when it comes to cyclists".[14]

China

Traffic in China can at times be chaotic, and some road courtesies are often ignored.[15]

France

In France, it is common for drivers to nudge other vehicles to fit into a tight parking space.[16]

Germany

In Germany, it is common for a wedding parade to honk the vehicles horns en route. Drivers on the autobahn will flash their lights if a vehicle in front is driving too slowly.[16]

Guatemala

Loud honking, always ceding the way to vehicles traveling on uphill mountainous passes and passing on blind curves is considered normal driving etiquette in Guatemala.[17]

India

Hyderabad has "what could be considered the worst driving etiquette in the country".[18]

Jamaica

In Jamaica, drivers will honk their horn to say thank you when let out at a junction.[19]

Kenya

It is considered a good driving etiquette in Kenya to honk your horn to warn other vehicles of rocks or debris on the road ahead. Turn signals are commonly used to indicate if a driver wishes to be overtaken or not. At night, some drivers use their right indicator to show the extended width of their cars, aiming to avoid collisions on narrow roads.[20]

Macedonia

Few Macedonians wear a seat belt, even though it is illegal not to in that country, or "follow any form of lane discipline and driving etiquette".[21]

New Zealand

New Zealand drivers generally follow the road rules, it is acknowledged that driving etiquette could be improved.[22] Drivers observe lane lines and give way rules,[23] indicate changes of direction and (mostly) adhere to speed limits. Drivers are courteous and will allow other road users to merge but tend to be impatient.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico's driving "tends towards mild anarchy". Speeding past traffic on the shoulder of a road is "perfectly acceptable". After letting ambulances or police cars overtake them, it is common for drivers to heavily tailgate that car. "Merging into a thoroughfare from a side road is simply a matter of nosing your automobile into traffic until a generous fellow traveler waves you in or until you force them to a screeching halt".[24]

Turkey

In Turkey, flashing of headlights is commonly used to indicate that the driver intends to go first.[25]

South Africa

A "strange but pleasant bit of South African driving etiquette" involves "pulling over onto the tarred hard shoulder to let the car behind overtake in safety". This is done regardless of whether there is traffic or not. The overtaker is expected to flick their hazard lights as a sign of saying thanks.[26]

Spain

In Spain, drivers flash their lights to warn other drivers they are about to conduct an overtaking maneuver.[27]

United Kingdom

British driving etiquette includes:

  • letting in / out other drivers
  • Pulling in behind parked cars, when the road ahead is too narrow for two cars to pass.

Although the Highway Code advises against flashing a vehicle's lights in most situations, many drivers use it to communicate with other drivers, such as to let them in to a stream of traffic. Due to this disconnect between rules and practice, some scammers use flashing lights to scam other drivers for insurance money, by making them think they are being let out.[28]

Examples of poor driving etiquette

The following acts are commonly cited as examples of poor driving etiquette.[29][30]

"Nudging" pedestrians
Involves drivers coaxing pedestrians who are trying to cross a crosswalk by honking or crowding them.
Elongated/excessive honking
Honking is acceptable in certain situations, however it becomes excessive when it involves, for instance, honking at a car that is already signaling to make a turn, or at a car with the hazards blinking (the car may be in poor mechanical shape or there is a problem on the road ahead of the driver). Also involves honking when there are other cars in front of the car in front of you, or at a red light. It is sometimes used to bully other drivers into increasing their speed, especially when they are already at or over the speed limit, but in this instance, it is also accompanied by tailgating. This is normally used by aggressive, high-strung drivers.
Tailgating
Involves driving dangerously close to the vehicle ahead (often in an attempt to encourage them to increase their speed). This action can distract the operator of the forward vehicle and reduces the stopping time of the rear vehicle in case of sudden speed changes.[13] This is generally used by aggressive drivers. Additionally, this may affect the driver of the forward car emotionally, sometimes to the point the offended driver may consider soaring to illegal speeds in an attempt to escape, which in turn creates an additional aggressive driver.
Double parking
Double-parked vehicles can disrupt traffic flow, causing other motorists to navigate their way around them.
Driving in busy areas with high beams on
At night this action can blind oncoming traffic, making it more difficult for vehicles to safely follow the road. When following another vehicle, glare from this action can reduce the effectiveness of the forward vehicle's mirrors — reducing situational awareness and increasing the likelihood of an accident.
Refusing to yield right-of-way to other vehicles
Merging vehicles must accelerate or brake unsafely or can be forced off the road at the end of a merging lane due to this action.
Driving with loud, distracting music
Reduces the driver's ability to hear and react to noises around the vehicle (including emergency-vehicle sirens).
Driving a vehicle with snow and ice covering it
Can endanger others if the snow-covered vehicle reaches highway speeds and chunks of ice/snow fly off behind the vehicle. Snow and ice can also slide down from the roof to block visibility from the rear window in the car, reducing the driver's situational awareness.
Changing lanes and turning without use of signals
Increases the likelihood of an accident by surprising other drivers with a lane change or turn unexpectedly.
Cutting off other motorists
Refers to a vehicle that enters a lane without proper caution, leaving a small amount of distance between other surrounding vehicles. This can be caused by unawareness of surroundings, impatience, and/or aggressiveness.[31]
Driving below the speed of traffic in center or passing lanes
Causes a disruption in traffic flow as other vehicles must either slow to match the offending vehicle's speed, and may be forced to pass on the wrong side.
Slowly passing another vehicle/Using cruise control to pass a vehicle rather than accelerating
Causes a disruption for other vehicles in the passing lane for the duration of the time the passing car occupies it.[32]
Distracted driving (includes talking/texting on the phone, smoking, drinking, and eating)
Reduces driver awareness of the road and the likelihood of collision increase has been linked to drunk driving.[33]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "International Driving Etiquette". h2g2. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Driving Etiquette 101". David Koch: The Kochie Blog. Archived from the original on 2012-04-26. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  3. ↑ "Driving Etiquette | Etiquette School of Ohio". Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  4. ↑ Holt, Emily (2005-12-01). Encyclopaedia of Etiquette: A Book of Manners for Everyday Use. Cosimo, Inc. ISBN 978-1-59605-557-5.
  5. ↑ Noble, Jonathan; Hughes, Mark (2004-10-22). Formula One Racing For Dummies. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-7645-7049-0.
  6. ↑ Moeller, Bill; Moeller, Jan (1995-01-22). RVing Basics. McGraw Hill Professional. ISBN 978-0-07-042779-2.
  7. ↑ Communications, Emmis (July 1982). Cincinnati Magazine. Emmis Communications.
  8. ↑ "Driving Etiquette". Thinkquest. Archived from the original on October 19, 2000.
  9. ↑ Scapp, Ron; Seitz, Brian (2012-02-01). Etiquette: Reflections on Contemporary Comportment. State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-8091-5.
  10. ↑ Manitoba Public Insurance > Driving Tips Archived October 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ IEEE Xplore - Paradigm of information security as interdisciplinary comprehensive science
  12. ↑ Transportation Research Board - Journal Article
  13. 1 2 LI_2009-08-04 - Motorcycles Archived April 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  14. ↑ Nicholas Gill; Caroline Lascom; Christie Pashby (2009). Frommer's Chile & Easter Island. p. 68. ISBN 9780470526286. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
  15. ↑ Shaw, Marc T.M.; Leggat, Peter A.; Borwein, Sarah (2007). "Travelling to China for the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games". Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease. 5 (6): 365–373. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2007.09.003. PMID 17983975.
  16. 1 2 "Driving Etiquette Around the World". iCarhireInsurance. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  17. ↑ Lonely Planet Guatemala - Lucas Vidgen, Daniel C Schechter - Google Books
  18. ↑ Pippa deBruyn; Keith Bain; Niloufer Venkatraman; Shonar Joshi (2008-03-04). Frommer's India. p. 291. ISBN 9780470169087. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Driving Etiquette Around the World | the Adrian Flux Blog". www.adrianflux.co.uk. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  20. ↑ Rough guide to Kenya - Richard Trillo - Google Books
  21. ↑ Evans, Thammy (2009). Macedonia. p. 88. ISBN 9781841622972. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
  22. ↑ "Kiwi drivers need more emphasis on driving etiquette". June 2017.
  23. ↑ "Give way rules in New Zealand". 27 July 2014.
  24. ↑ Kurt Pitzer; Tara Stevens (2001). Adventure Guide to Puerto Rico. ISBN 9781588431165. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
  25. ↑ Turkey - Charlotte McPherson - Google Books
  26. ↑ Noonan, Patrick (2003). Go to Google Books Home Advanced Book Search They're burning the churches: the final dramatic events that scuttled apartheid. p. 212. ISBN 9781919931463. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
  27. ↑ "Different Driving Etiquette from Around the World". www.barringtonfreight.co.uk. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  28. ↑ "Driving etiquette - our guide to staying safe | RAC Drive". www.rac.co.uk. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  29. ↑ Top 10: Driving Etiquette Mistakes - AskMen
  30. ↑ Driving Etiquette: Avoid These Common Driving Errors
  31. ↑ "Aggressive Driving - Personal Injury Law". Pralaw.com. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  32. ↑ Driving Etiquette Refresher | Car Pool with Bill Archived April 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  33. ↑ Drivers on Cell Phones Are as Bad as Drunks - University of Utah News Release: June 29th, 2006 Archived December 2, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
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