When Is It Really Okay to Honk Your Horn?

The infamous car horn — it’s how we communicate from car to car, for better or worse. It can be used as a shield or as a weapon, however, the car horn exists to help others make the road a safer place. So, when is it really okay to honk your horn?

Do

There are plenty of reasons to use your car horn, and each one is to improve safety on the streets. If you see someone drifting into your lane, go ahead and honk. Perhaps they’re unaware they’re doing it and your honk will set them on the right track. If you see a pedestrian or driver about to get into a dangerous situation, honk. If you’re approaching a tight curve, honk to let possible oncoming drivers know you’re there.

Horns are supposed to be tools to make people more aware of the world around them. Used properly, horns improve our driving experiences.

Don’t

Don’t honk your horn because you’re angry. It never helps with traffic jams. Other drivers won’t know your point of view just because you honked. Don’t honk to make someone drive faster — there could be a great reason they’re driving at that speed. Honking at someone because they made a mistake won’t reverse that mistake, but it may cause them to make another one.

Remember that we share the roads with our neighbors. At the end of the day, we all want to get to our destinations safely and calmly. Follow horn etiquette to make the street a better place.

Image via Flickr by Field Biologist

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