Driving, as difficult as it is, becomes second nature to many of us. When that happens, our habits become sloppy, and our chance of accidents increases. While day to day it seems like everything is normal, it's always a good idea to pay close attention to your driving habits. Here are a few things to watch out for.

What do you do when you see a yellow or amber light? Many drivers take it as a signal to speed up so they don't get caught at a red light. What it really means is to stop if you can do so safely, otherwise proceed with caution. If you find that you've started to speed up when you see these lights, remember their intended use, and be safe.

When you're merging onto highways, there is a stretch of road that's off to the side, that eventually merges with the rest. A lot of drivers aren't using this correctly and are either stopping in it to find an opportunity to get onto the highway or are just pulling out. This section is for drivers to get up to speed before pulling into the flow of traffic. By using it incorrectly, you are increasing the chances of an accident.

A lot of folks use driving time as a time to reflect or get lost in a daydream. When this happens, you stop paying attention to the road and your vehicle's speed. If you're really lost in thought, you may start doing things automatically like flicking radio stations or picking up your phone. Over half of traffic accidents are caused by distracted driving.

Tailgating is easily one of the most annoying driving habits that have literally no upside, and tons of potential for trouble. Driving too closely behind another motorist cuts down your reaction time exponentially, meaning that if they have to brake or swerve quickly, you may not be able to react in time.

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