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new-years-2017Your daily routine probably goes something like this: wake up, go to work, go home, and then go to sleep. Obviously, there are a lot of details that we glossed over, but at its core this is typically how your day starts and ends. Let’s take a closer look at that though. While you’re sleeping, you’re probably in bed. We spend a lot of time in bed…essentially one-third of our lives! After that, the bulk of the rest of our time is spent at work and home. Typically we spend less time at work and more time at home during the weekends, but this isn’t necessarily the case for everyone. Regardless, most of our routines are made up of sleep, work, and home. However, how do you get from work to home and back again?

The other main constant that we’re neglecting here is commuting. When you think about it, we spend a lot of time in our cars getting from one place to another. Therefore, it stands to reason that if you’re going to make a New Year’s resolution this year, you might as well incorporate safe driving practices into the mix. After all, driving is probably a part of your daily routine, at least in one capacity or another. So, we’ve provided the five best habits for drivers to resolve to commit to this year and beyond!

  1. Take Care of Your Vehicle – Proper vehicle maintenance will not only help keep your car or truck running well, but it will also potentially minimize the likelihood you’re involved in an accident. Making sure your engine is in tip top shape is obviously important, but brakes, tires, and even wiper blades all play a vital role in keeping you safe while on the road. Don’t forget to replace worn out vehicle components!
  2. Buckle Up – Buckling up is important for everyone in your vehicle, and you should always require all passengers to use their seat belts. If you have children in the car, make sure they’re buckled up, and if you have a baby or small child in the car, make sure that their car seat is properly secured to the vehicle. Remember, if you don’t “click it” you might end up with a pricey ticket!
  3. Follow the Rules of the Road – Don’t speed, don’t roll through stop signs, don’t make illegal turns, and don’t weave in and out of traffic. Because everyone is always in a rush these days, a lot of motorists tend to view speed limits and other traffic signage as little more than suggestions. The reality of the situation though is that those rules are put into place to protect not only motorists, but pedestrians and smaller conveyances (like bikes and scooters) as well. Be mindful of your surroundings, and never stop paying attention to the road in front of you. Which brings us to #4…
  4. Don’t Drive Distracted – Using a cell phone, fiddling with the radio, eating, applying makeup, and even carrying on conversations with passengers can all be distracting enough to cause an accident. We’re not saying you can’t talk to passengers in your vehicle, but you always need to remember that getting everyone safely from point A to point B is priority number one as a driver. Remove distractions from your driving habits, and you’re going to be safer driver, guaranteed.
  5. Don’t Drink and Drive – New Year’s Eve is a big party, and a lot of people like to celebrate with a drink or two. If you’re planning on getting behind the wheel though, think twice before your start that ignition. There’s a legal BAC limit for a reason. If you’ve had a drink, never risk your own life, or the lives of your passengers, by trying to drive. Doing so will not only land you in jail, but it endangers everyone else on the road, including pedestrians. BONUS: On a related note, driving drowsy is also extremely dangerous. Sleep deprivation impairs motorists practically the same way that alcohol does, so if you’re tired, make it a point to never get behind the wheel. Sleepy drivers are dangerous drivers!

We realize that it’s certainly more popular to make resolutions that are connected to some other aspect of your life, but remember that driving is probably a pretty big part of your routine. Don’t increase the odds of being involved in a car accident by being reckless. If you injure someone while doing so, they’ll probably hire a law firm like ours to protect their rights as victims!

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