For many, the New Year gives the opportunity to start fresh, focusing on bettering oneself and giving up bad habits. While this is a great way to look at things, it’s easy to set lofty expectations that are simply unattainable. For instance, if your New Year’s resolution is to go to the gym 7 days a week and cut out carbs from your diet, chances are you’re setting yourself up for failure. Instead, why not shoot for 4 days a week at the gym and avoid carbs one meal a day? By setting attainable goals and not expecting to achieve them overnight, you’ll have a greater chance of success.
The same goes for driving goals! It’s important that we all strive to be safe drivers, even though it can be difficult at times. But, every time you get behind the wheel of a car, you are putting your life, your passengers’ lives, and other drivers’ lives at risk. Even the most cautious and experienced drivers can make a mistake that results in an accident, or you could be following the road laws to a T and get hit by another driver.
That being said, it’s our responsibility as drivers to do our best to drive safely and legally. Perhaps you could make improving your driving one of your resolutions in 2019! Here are some simple ways to be a safe driver.
Leave on Time
That feeling of being late to work is never a good feeling, and people tend to speed to make up for lost time when they’re running late. Please, try not to do this! Speeding won’t save much time in the long run and puts you at greater risk of a collision. Instead, make it a habit to leave ten or fifteen minutes before you need to so you can take it easy and follow the speed limit. Not only will you be on time, but your life will also be less stressful!
Put it Away
You know that saying “Out of sight, out of mind.”? Let this be your motto for your cell phone when you’re driving. Eliminate the urge to pick up a call or respond to a text by putting your phone on silent or airplane mode while driving and keeping it in the glove compartment or somewhere you cannot see it. Phones are major distractions, and distracted driving crashes account for an estimated 9 deaths a day in the U.S. This is a major epidemic, so do your part by putting your complete attention on the road!
Drive Defensively
Staying alert while behind the wheel is key! Taking an extra couple seconds to check both ways, even when you shouldn’t need to, before pulling out or making a turn could prevent a collision. Not all pedestrians or drivers follow the rules, so watching out for someone making an illegal U-turn or jaywalking could be the difference between life and death. Just play it safe!
We hope you stay safe and healthy 2019, but if you are involved in a car or truck crash, please call the personal injury attorneys at Nance Cacciatore. We will provide excellent legal representation for our clients in Melbourne, Titusville, and all of Brevard County. Have a happy and safe New Year!
