New Year’s Resolutions for Bad Driving Habits
Have you started thinking about your New Year’s Resolution yet? Some of you may be wanting to exercise more, eat healthier, or quit smoking but have you ever thought that your driving habits may need to be resolved this year? We’ve compiled some of the most common bad driving habits and are giving some tips on how you can change them for 2019:
- Not Using Your Signal Light
You may think that using your signal light is optional but it’s one of the most important habits to have. You should use your signal light whenever you are merging into traffic, pulling in or out of a parking spot, changing lanes, turning left or right, coming out of a traffic circle, and pulling to the side of the road.
- Tailgating
There’s nothing worse than a driver who rides your bumper on your entire commute. You should always give yourself three seconds of distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. You can judge the safe following distance by looking at a stagnant object on the side of the road. When the car in front of you passes it, start counting until you pass it. As long as you’ve counted more than three seconds, then you are giving yourself a safe following distance. Keep in mind that your following distance should be increased when the roads are slick.
- Texting and Driving
Texting and driving is something that people know they shouldn’t do but do anyways. If you are someone who is tempted to answer your phone without a hand-free system while you are driving, then you should always keep your phone out of reach.
- Rolling Through Stop Signs
Coming to a complete stop at all stop signs is as important as stopping at a red light. Coming to a complete stop ensures that you will see any on-coming vehicles, bicyclists, or pedestrians.
- Misusing Roundabouts
Many of us are confused by roundabouts so it’s a good idea to brush up on the rules of using them. First, yield to anyone already in the circle and then enter the circle. If it is a two-lane roundabout, then you can enter in either the right or left lane when the traffic is clear. If you enter in the left lane, then you must exit in the left lane and if you enter in the right lane, then you must exit in the right lane. You should not change lanes in the roundabout. If you cannot exit the roundabout safely, then continue driving around it until you can.
- Driving In the Wrong Lane
The left lane is the passing lane and the right lane is the slow lane. No matter if you are on the highway or in the city, you should follow this rule.
- Speeding
Follow the traffic signs no matter what they are but especially follow speed signs. Roads are designed for drivers to go the posted speed limit so ignoring the signs could result in a collision.
We want everyone to stay safe this holiday season and all throughout 2019. Follow the rules of the road and demonstrate good driving habits and we’ll all get where we need to go safely.