When you are on the open road, you should be able to drive from point A to point B without concern. Instead, you need to drive defensively and be cognizant of your surroundings at all times. It would be lovely if everyone else followed suit and was as proactive in their driving behaviours as you are. As you already know, that is unfortunately not the case at all. To that end, you need to be dynamic and motivated to take care of yourself and those around you. Here are some tips on being a safe and mindful driver.
Be Mindful of Drunk Driving
If you have teens or young adults in your household who are driving, you may find yourself worrying at all hours of the night over their driving habits. You have taught them well and instilled your values in them, and yet you may need to do more to keep them safe.
It will be worth your time and afford you a stress reduction to invest in an alcohol detection or breathalyzer device containing fuel cell sensors that detect alcohol on the user’s breath. This may benefit your loved ones or their friends as they will need to blow into it to assess whether they have been drinking alcohol before the vehicle will start.
Always Be Prepared
An essential part of being a safe driver is being a prepared one. Watch this video for information on how to prepare a well-stocked emergency kit for your vehicle.
Stow Your Electronics
If you are one of the many people who still text whilst driving, it is well beyond time to stop making that unsafe decision over and over again. You likely already know the potential ramifications of those actions. Beyond causing a wholly preventable accident where there may be loss of life, personal injury, or property damage, you are potentially influencing another generation to continue this unsafe behaviour.
If you are a parent or guardian, you transport children routinely in your vehicle. You may think they are busy in the back doing other things. They are, however, most certainly paying attention to what you do and how you handle situations. When you become upset with other drivers over their actions, your children notice. When you pick up your phone to look at a text or actually text someone yourself, your children definitely see what you are doing.
Lead by example with the people under your care. Stow your phone in the centre console, your bag or purse, or keep it in your pocket whilst driving. If your insurance company offers a discount when you allow them to monitor your phone usage whilst driving and your driving behaviours, take them up on the offer. In addition to saving money, you will know that you are being assessed and behave better for knowing it.
Practice good driving habits yourself, and make sound decisions that will impact the next generation of drivers. Keeping your calm, and cool confidence when you are behind the wheel takes practice. With a little effort, you can maintain a good driving record and safety on the road.
