To some people the concept of “distracted driving” is an abstract concept but not to me. Last year I was stopped at a red light waiting for it to change when I was hit from behind by a driver who was texting and didn’t happen to notice that the light was red. She was driving a SUV and I was in a one-month old Mini Cooper so you can guess who came out a the winner. “The sun was in my eyes and I couldn’t see the red light” she later told officer, but I’m guessing it was the glare from her iPhone. But this is not the only driving misbehavior that bothers driver.
As part of the launch of their new Defender series of tires Michelin sponsored a survey to identify the most annoying driving behaviors. The leading response? Tailgating (cited by 94% of those surveyed). In fact, compared to other annoyances, tailgating edged out drivers who cut other drivers off (91%), drivers who change lanes unexpectedly (85%), and drivers who don’t signal (85%).
Tailgating is a form of aggressive driving and almost three quarters (74%) of survey respondents reported they had been tailgated by another driver past six months. Ironically, only 11% admitted to tailgating another vehicle. It’s always, as Arlo Guthrie once sang, “the other guy” which is why it’s important to leave enough room between you and the car in front of you.
Michelin’s newest tire, the Defender, has an advanced design which allows it to stop shorter–up to 31 feet or two car lengths—potentially the difference between having an accident and avoiding one. In addition, Michelin Defender tire comes with a 90,000 mile warranty and increases fuel-efficiency, providing a potential savings of up to $250 in fuel @$3.50/gallon over the life of the tires.