California freeways can jam up, and Boulevards can stay busy for 12 hours straight. And yet the true dangers of driving in our state are usually caused by the drivers at the wheel.
California makes the news each night with its crazy drivers, and sadly, good, safe drivers often end up paying the consequences. Drivers can have one hand (or both) occupied with a cellphone. They may build to some ridiculous speeds that put them at risk of losing control.
The California Car Accident Lawyers at Maison Law decided to put together a list of the most frightening habits local drivers have. It should serve as a reminder to good drivers about the drivers they should steer clear of. Hopefully, it can also be a wake-up call to the motorists who engage in dangerous behavior.
Top Bad Habits for California Drivers
1. Speeding
AAA reports that speeding is involved in a third of all fatal accidents. Stomping that gas pedal leads to more collisions and also intensifies the consequences. Drivers who go too fast give themselves less time and space to react and brake to any sudden obstacle (e.g., construction zones, traffic stopped for red lights). The added speed increases impact forces and causes more damage and more severe injuries.
2. Distracted Driving
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that in 2023, 3,275 people tragically lost their lives in accidents involving a distracted driver. Cellphones are the biggest culprit. Texting, viewing TikTok, and calling without hands-free aid. California drivers can also engage in heated conversations, taking their eyes off the road. They might also attempt to eat a full meal while traveling along.
3. Aggressive Driving
UC Berkeley’s SafeTREC found that speeding and aggressive driving were the number one things California drivers were concerned about in 2025. Aggressive driving includes behavior such as speeding, switching lanes recklessly, and unsafe passing. It may also involve running red lights and failing to yield the right-of-way.
4. Driving Angry
Aggressive driving and unchecked anger can lead to road rage. In 2024, KABC in L.A. reported that California ranked as the top state for confrontational drivers. Allowing rage to overtake their thoughts is a dangerous habit that all drivers must learn to keep in check. Getting cut off in traffic or having someone make an obscene gesture should never be an excuse for motorists to leave their cars and engage in violence.
5. Driving Under the Influence
The California Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) reports that 943 people were killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents in 2024. Drivers who start up their vehicles while under the influence of drugs or alcohol are often in the habit of making this devastating decision. They may make it home safely a few times, but at some point, a frightening and preventable accident will happen. California drivers need to kick this habit.
6. Drowsy Driving
Drivers already daydream and get lulled into a meditative state on long, straight California roads. They can also get behind the wheel after not getting any sleep. The mood and overall rested state of the driver make a big difference in accident prevention. A sleepy driver can miss spotting traffic dangers and have a slowed reaction time. Motorists can also simply fall asleep at the wheel. The NHTSA highlighted how, in a single year, an estimated 50,000 people were injured, and nearly 800 deaths were the result of drivers who drifted off while driving.
7. Failing to Make a Full Stop at a Stop Sign or Red Light
Many California drivers pull up to stop signs or traffic lights, never intending to fully stop. Some use the term “California Stop” for drivers who roll up to stop signs without braking completely. Many show up at intersections ready to gun it. Unfortunately, this habit can lead to accidents when motorists don’t pay full attention to the traffic in both directions (and sometimes more than two directions need to be assessed). Accidents occur, at times, because drivers don’t see when cars in oncoming lanes have a green arrow to make a left turn.
8. Tailgating
This is a dangerous practice that can make impacts impossible to avoid and also set tempers flaring. When speeding and tailgating are mixed, drivers leave themselves almost no time to react to a braking car or a traffic slowdown. Tailgating can be seen as an aggressive move, but it can also just signal that a driver isn’t paying attention to traffic.
