7 Risky Driving Habits That Can Total Your Car

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Benjamin

Getting behind the wheel comes with responsibility. Driving isn’t just a means to get from A to B; it’s about safeguarding yourself, others on the road, and your vehicle. Whether you’re a new driver or a seasoned car owner, poor driving habits can lead to devastating consequences, including a totaled car.

This blog explores common yet dangerous habits that often result in accidents and total loss vehicles. You’ll learn strategies to adopt safer driving behaviors, hear from experts, and even discover what to do if you’ve ended up with an uninsured totaled car.

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What Counts as Risky Driving Habits?

Risky driving habits often go unnoticed or become second nature over time. These behaviors not only put you and your vehicle at risk but may also escalate to totaling your car. Here are some of the most common culprits:

1. Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is a leading cause of accidents. Whether it’s texting, eating, adjusting the radio, or talking on the phone, these distractions take your focus off the road.

Shocking Stat: According to the NHTSA, in 2021, distracted driving claimed 3,522 lives in the U.S.

2. Speeding

A common yet deadly habit, speeding reduces your ability to react to sudden hazards. It also increases the severity of accidents, making it more likely for your car to be totaled. The faster you drive, the less likely your vehicle will be salvageable post-accident.

Interesting Insight: Speeding accounts for about 26% of all traffic fatalities in the U.S., according to the IIHS.

3. Tailgating

Following another vehicle too closely leaves you with insufficient time to stop if the driver ahead brakes suddenly. Rear-end collisions caused by tailgating can easily lead to extensive damage, making your car a total loss vehicle.

4. Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

It goes without saying that alcohol or drugs significantly impair your reaction time, judgment, and coordination. Unfortunately, DUI crashes often result in totaled cars or worse, loss of lives.

5. Fatigued Driving

Hitting the road when you’re tired is like playing with fire. A drowsy driver is more prone to making mistakes and reacting slower to sudden situations. Falling asleep behind the wheel is even more dangerous and more likely to cause fatalities.

6. Ignoring Weather Conditions

Rain, snow, fog, and icy roads require extra caution. Failing to adapt to these conditions, such as driving at regular speeds or not increasing your following distance, can lead to major accidents.

7. Skipping Regular Vehicle Maintenance

Neglecting routine maintenance, like checking tire pressure, brakes, or oil levels, can result in mechanical failures, leaving you stranded, or worse, causing a collision.

The Costs of a Total Loss Vehicle

When a car is considered “totaled,” the cost to repair it exceeds its actual cash value (ACV). For many drivers, this financial blow becomes worse if the car is uninsured. While collision insurance may cover such cases, those without insurance are left bearing the entire burden.

If you find yourself in this situation, one solution is selling your totaled car to an auto salvage yard in Indianapolis. They’ll take your damaged car off your hands and offer cash in return, providing a quick and hassle-free way to recoup some losses.

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Prevention Tips to Stay Safe on the Road

Here’s a list of essential tips to avoid risky driving habits and keep yourself and your car safe:

☑ Stay Focused – Keep your full attention on the road. Put your phone away, finish your meal before driving, and minimize distractions in the car.

☑ Obey Traffic Laws – Follow speed limits, stop at traffic signals, and yield when necessary. Being law-abiding helps to prevent unnecessary incidents.

☑ Regular Maintenance – Maintain your car’s health with routine check-ups. Properly inflated tires, sturdy brakes, and well-functioning lights can make all the difference.

☑ Defensive Driving – Be proactive and prepared for sudden movements from other vehicles or pedestrians. Always be aware of your surroundings.

☑ Avoid Impaired Driving – If you’ve had a drink or are on medication that affects your driving capabilities, hand over the keys to someone else or call a ride service.

☑ Get Enough Rest – Avoid the urge to drive when you’re fatigued. Pull over to rest or switch drivers if possible.

☑ Adjust Driving to Weather Conditions – Slow down during rain, snow, or fog, and keep extra distance between you and the car ahead.

☑ Use Safety Technology – Leverage the safety features in modern vehicles, such as blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warnings, and adaptive cruise control, to assist in maintaining safe driving habits.

Selling a Totaled Car? Here’s What to Do

If your car is already totaled, don’t despair. You still have options to recover some financial value. specializes in buying totaled or damaged cars, whether they’re insured or not. Benjamin’s Junk Cars in Indianapolis

Here’s how it works:

Contact Them: Share details about your car for a free quote.
Get an Offer: Receive a competitive cash offer based on the condition of your vehicle.
Get Paid: Hand over your car (and title, if available) and walk away with cash in hand.

Drive Smart, Stay Safe

Safe driving requires a combination of attentiveness, preparation, and responsible decision-making. By staying rested, adapting to weather conditions, and utilizing modern safety technology, drivers can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and protect themselves and others on the road.

Always remember, the choices you make behind the wheel have a lasting impact—not just on you, but on every person that you share the road with. Commit to driving mindfully, because safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Remember, your car is replaceable, but your life isn’t. Drive smart, stay safe, and if you find yourself in need of salvaging a totaled car, consider reaching out to reputable businesses like Benjamin’s Junk Cars in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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Can I Reset the Check Engine Light in My Car?

Posted on September 14, 2022 by Benjamin

An illuminated Check Engine Light on the dashboard of your vehicle could mean a lot of things. Some things are quite minor, while others might suggest you need a whole new car. If your Check Engine Light problem is something serious, it is critical that you have it repaired by a certified mechanic as soon as possible. Driving with the Check Engine Light on is dangerous, plus it can cause serious internal damage to the engine and more.

If for some reason you wish to clear the Check Engine Light on your vehicle yourself, there is an easy way to get the job done. Continue below to learn how to reset a Check Engine Light.

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What is Your Check Engine Light Doing?

A flashing Check Engine Light indicates a serious engine problem, such as a bad catalytic converter. A solid Check Engine Light icon signifies a less urgent problem, such as a loose gas cap or defective spark plug. If your issue is something that can be done yourself, like tightening up the gas cap, go right ahead. For all other automotive problems, you will need a professional. A mechanic has the proper skills to read the Check Engine Light code, repair the problem, and clear the icon from your dash.

DIY Check Engine Light Clearing

Unless you have your own Check Engine Light code reader, you will not be able to reset the icon yourself. It is not recommended to ignore a serious mechanical problem and simply reset the Check Engine Light. Not only is this unethical if you want to sell the car down the line, but it is dangerous and only does more harm to the vehicle.

How to Reset the Check Engine Light

Was your problem minor, like a loose gas cap, and you fixed it, but the light won’t turn off? Do this:

Try disconnecting the car battery. Let it sit for several minutes, then connect it back up. This is known to work well.

At a steady pace, turn your vehicle on and off, three times in a row, driving a few miles in between. This usually triggers the onboard computer to reset itself.

You can also just drive for a while, without stopping. Often times, the onboard computer system will run self-tests and finally confirm that the issue is resolved, thus switching off the light.

Are you using a code reader?

Simply plug it in, select the Check Engine Light error code, and erase the code. Some code readers do not have this feature, but most will.

Did you clear a Check Engine Light code a long time ago, never repairing the vehicle, and now you want to sell it? Great news! Contact Benjamin’s Junk Cars at 317-218-7133 to get a quote from an experienced Indianapolis junk car buyer who will pay you the highest cash payout for totaled cars in Central Indiana. We provide free junk removal!

Should I Detail My Junk Car Before Scrapping It?

Posted on August 31, 2022 by Benjamin

Consumer sciences might agree that better-looking goods sell for more. However, this supply-and-demand principle does not always apply to all types of sales. Junk cars might be an example. Many people naturally wonder if they can get more money for their junk car before selling it to a scrap yard in Indianapolis. The answer depends on a few factors.

Continue below to learn what those factors are, plus how to ensure you make the most cash for junk cars in Indiana.

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Automotive Detailing Options

Automotive detailing generally involves a comprehensive and methodical series of steps that cleanses, sanitizes, and freshens up the exterior and interior of a vehicle. You can choose to take your vehicle into a professional automotive detailing center and pay between $75 and $600, depending on the size and scope of your vehicle. Or you can detail your car on your own using store-bought products, materials, and equipment. If you choose DIY automotive detailing, you can expect to spend anywhere between 1 and 7 hours getting the job done, plus upwards of $200 for the supplies. It can be a lot of work and still cost you.

The Value in Detailing a Junked Car

Junk cars are just that: junk. But in some cases, a junk car can still drive, be repaired enough to be drivable again, or contain major car parts that can be refurbished and resold on the used auto parts market. Depending on the condition of your junk car, detailing could add value and get you more cash at the scrap yard, or it can end up a complete waste of money.

Ask yourself these questions to determine if automotive detailing is a worthwhile expense for your junk car:

Will my junk car operate again with just a few repairs, even if those repairs are major like engine replacement? Is my junked car very old and corroded? Does my junk car have a bunch of garbage inside?

For junk cars that might one day operate again, detailing could be very worthwhile before scrapping it at a local Indianapolis auto salvage yard. As mentioned earlier, the better looking something is, the more money it will sell for.

For junk cars that are old, corroded, or filled with garbage, automotive detailing could be a huge waste of time and money. Instead, it is wiser to tidy your car up before taking it in for a junk car evaluation. Although it won’t increase the innate scrap value, the auto buyers will reduce any fees from your offer related to cleanup and bio-hazard removal. This puts more money in your pocket!

Before Selling a Junk Car

Although you do not need to detail your junk car before selling it, it is smart to clean it up a bit. Give it a wash, clean out any trash inside the cabin or trunk, and remove any personal belongings. Be sure to also remove the front and back plates, plus cancel the insurance and registration with the state. And that’s all you have to do before selling a junk car for cash in Indiana!

Are you looking for the best junk car buying company that can pay you the full value of your junked motor vehicle? Contact Benjamin’s Junk Cars at 317-218-7133 to sell your junk car in Indianapolis for cash on the spot! We serve all of Central Indiana.