Swerving is an incredibly dangerous behavior performed by drivers of all skill levels. Swerving is defined as an abrupt and often jarring change from one lane to another, usually without any form of warning by the offending driver beforehand. Swerving is a major cause for collisions, with over 35,000 people being injured in swerving related collisions in 2020 alone. Unlike other forms of dangerous driving, most people who actively swerve when changing lanes are either new drivers, inexperienced drivers, or both. With that being said, however, some people choose to endanger others as they drive, and will abruptly change lanes with little to no warning, even if it’s just to get around another slower vehicle.
As we’ve established, swerving is defined as abruptly and inappropriately changing lanes. If you swerve, you greatly increase your chances of getting into an accident, and could potentially cause a fatality. Collisions with another vehicle can be especially nasty if the offending driver doesn’t signal before coming over, and, like many other forms of dangerous driving, swerving is made exponentially worse by speeding. The faster you drive, the more force you’ll have if you collide with another vehicle. So, with all that in mind, what can we do?
In general, the best way to combat swerving is to make an active effort to change lanes more gently. It’s a fine line between changing lanes too soon and too abruptly, but like all skills it can be practiced and honed to perfection. For new drivers who swerve, the best course of action is to help them break their bad habit through better informing them of how to not be a dangerous driver. In addition, If you or someone you know is a new or inexperienced driver, why not have them check out the NTSI library for a wealth of quick tips to stay SAFER when on the road? Both you and them will walk away as smarter, SAFER drivers.
