Do We No Longer Follow the Rules of the Road?

The unwritten and written rules of the road have been in place since the first vehicle came off the assembly line in 1886 in Europe. However, it seems as though more and more drivers are failing to obey those rules and it has gotten worse since Covid hit.

The sense of entitlement both on the road and everywhere else has skyrocketed. Everyone seems to think that their lives, their schedules, and their destinations are more important than everyone else around them.

What Are the Rules of the Road?

In almost every state, the rules of the road are as follows:

• Vehicles drive on the right side of the road
• Do not drink and drive or drive high
• The right of way is given, not taken
• Vehicles are to proceed in the order in which they arrive at a stop sign
• Stop for all school buses picking up or dropping off children that have their red lights activated
• Yield to emergency vehicles that have their lights/sirens activated
• Turn right on red unless otherwise noted
• Left turn must always yield on green
• Keep right, pass on the left
• Traffic is to proceed counterclockwise in a roundabout (circle)
• Obey posted speed limits
• Slow your vehicle when approaching an intersection with a yellow light
• Stop at a red light
• Bicyclists must ride in the same direction as traffic
• Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks
• Pedestrians should not simply step out into traffic

The Dangers of Driving in 2023

With millions of vehicles on the road each day commuting to school, work, the doctor’s office, errands, concerts, sporting events, and more; you can only imagine how many accidents there are annually in New Jersey.

According to the unofficial statistics from the New Jersey State Police, there were 649 crashes that resulted in 692 fatalities in the state in 2022. These fatal accidents occurred on state highways, interstate highways, county roads, local streets and in parking lots.

Your head has to be on a swivel at all times when driving, biking, riding a motorcycle, or going for a walk today. In Burlington County alone there were 60 traffic fatalities in 2022.

Road Rage and Driving Behavior

The Zebra conducts an annual survey on road rage and driving behavior. Despite all of the frustrations drivers experience on the roads each day, most cited being cut off while driving as their highest frustration in 2022. The rest of frustrations, from highest to lowest, are as follows:

• Tailgating
• Distracted driving
• Failing to use a turn signal
• Slow drivers
• Traffic jams

In New Jersey, drivers named sitting in traffic jams as their number-one frustration while driving. The behavior they admitted to doing is honking in anger. When it comes to road rage, 92% of people who responded to the nationwide survey reported having witnessed at least one road rage incident in the previous year. Of them, 89% reported having being the victim of a road rage incident.

Safe Driving Tips

One of the best ways to ensure you arrive at your intended destination free of harm is to be a defensive driver. Try to anticipate what other drivers are going to do when you approach an intersection. Do not trust that oncoming traffic will see you, that vehicles on cross streets will actually stop at a red light or a stop sign, and always be aware of your surroundings.

Some important safe driving tips include the following:

• Always wear your seat belt
• Children under 12 should remain in the rear of the vehicle, according to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Avoid distractions from passengers, pets, mobile devices (phones, tablets, the radio, GPS)
• Keep a safe following distance (at least one car length for every 10 MPH)
• Do not drive drunk, high, fatigued or angry
• Keep your car well maintained
• Keep an emergency roadside kit in your trunk
• Come to a complete stop at all stop signs and red lights
• Obey posted speed limits, especially in school zones

While not an exhaustive list, it is important that you start with the tips listed here. Have you experienced a lack of safety from other drivers recently? Do you believe the rules of the road no longer apply? Let’s talk about it in the comments section. And, don’t forget, sign up for the Jimmy V Archives newsletter on the right side of the page. You will only receive an email when new content is posted. Thanks for reading.