Drivers? Why do peoples' driving abilities become worse/more reckless in bad weather/road conditions?

Question

Have you ever noticed that in good driving conditions that most people drive with sanity? When the weather gets rainy or blizzard-like, people drive faster, use less signaling, dart out in front of other cars without consideration. What is it that makes people drive with less consideration for others when the roads are treacherous? I dont understand it. I was in my mother's car, and for five minutes, there was a car that was inches from the rear bumper, without even once considering the spacing required for braking or the black ice that was everywhere. People tend to drive worse in this weather, and I know the roads are to blame, but many people just drive like they have no common sense or like the roads are clean. Why?

Could you guys star this for me? This is very perplexing.

Answer 1

There are lots of reasons.  Some people don't change their driving habits when the weather changes.  Some perhaps are more concerned with getting out of the inclement weather and want to get home as fast as possible.

This might be better answered in a psychology section.

As a side note, I read where 85% of people surveyed say they are better than average drivers.  How could that be?

Answer 2

Bad weather doesn't make stupid people any stupider,   it just makes them more obvious.

Answer 3

Many people think they are much better drivers than they really are! Thusly they think they are really in control of their car when in reality they are not.

Answer 4

yeah man, i know what you're talking about

i live in Texas, so we get some pretty bad thunderstorms at times and there will be people riding your @ss  and going too fast.  it's really not safe.  but i think for the most part.. people know how to drive in inclement weather. there are just those few bad apples

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just like some people don't learn to not speed until they get pulled over

some people don't drive safer when the weather worsens because they've never had any problems.. never lost control.. never been in an accident

i drive a jeep wrangler.. and i love it.. but its such a light vehicle .. and when there's a wind advisory it can get pretty scary driving when you're being blown every which way.  Now.. i make d**n sure i'm careful

their reckless driving likely reflects their lifestyle in general

Answer 5

I agree with you 100 percent................

Anytime you turn, you have to slow down. If you're driving on a straight stretch, you can go at a reasonable speed. Emphasis on "reasonable." Slow, panicked drivers can create as many problems as the speeders.

"A driver who is panicked and driving too slow in traffic ... can impede people around them, and all of a sudden people are taking chances.

Worse, having a four-wheel-drive vehicle makes some drivers overconfident. Drivers think "just because their SUV will accelerate effectively, that it will stop and corner better. "A four-wheel-drive doesn't help you corner or stop better than a two-wheel-drive."

Be alert at intersections and hills, which are typically the slickest portions of the road, because numerous drivers are braking or spinning their tires in the same area. The ice becomes smooth and polished.

I think it is a lack of understanding the rules of the road as well as with all of the following.

Talk on their cell phone

Texting

Smoking

Put on makeup

Read the news paper

Play with the radio or cd player

Yelling at their kids

Not paying attention in general

Answer 6

I live where we get over 100" of snow a winter and I have noticed the same thing. the folks here drive 45 on dry roads an 65 on icy or snow covered roads. go figure but what you say is true.