Don't overdrive screws

That last little oomph can cause a wood split, as shown, especially in softwoods and softer hardwoods. Instead, find the appropriate clutch setting on your drill/driver to avoid overtightening screws. Do this on test material in your shop, or set your clutch on a low setting and ramp it up as needed. You also can leave the screw slightly proud of the surface and then finish driving it by hand with a screwdriver.