It’s one of the unavoidable rites of winter. Every December, as the holidays wind down and the new year approaches, people make plans to step up their game come January. They resolve to lose weight, be kinder, exercise more, spend less, and generally improve themselves.
Sometimes, of course, those making the resolutions prove to be less resolute than they hoped. But some are easy to keep and can actually help keep you alive to enjoy many new years to come. Here are five basic resolutions for safer driving in 2019; you may already be following most or even all of them, but a refresher can’t hurt — and could make the new year a much better experience for all.
1. “I resolve to never drink and drive.”
Not a little bit, not at odd hours on empty roads, not ever. If you’re not convinced, the statistics are sobering: Nearly a third of all traffic deaths are the result of drunk driving. Have a designated driver, a ride service, or some other alternative handy in social situations involving alcohol, and you just made the roads safer for everyone.
2. “I resolve to avoid distractions, especially texting.”
Although not as pervasive as drunk driving, distracted driving accounted for 3,450 traffic deaths in 2016, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Cell phone usage is a big distraction, especially texting; a texter is said to be six times more likely to cause an accident than a driver under the influence! The texts can wait; what you encounter while driving really can’t.
3. “I resolve to maintain my vehicle and keep it road-worthy.”
Car maintenance is a small thing, but so important in critical situations, to have tires properly inflated, windshield wipers and lights that work, sufficient visibility and up-to-date safety inspections.
4. “I resolve to share the road.”
It’s amazing what a little courtesy and common sense can do, whether it’s yielding to bicyclists and pedestrians or simply alerting other drivers by using your turn signal. Would you believe that failure to signal plays a role in close to two million accidents a year? Imagine how much safer the roads would be if so many drivers weren’t hiding their intentions like a state secret.
5. “I resolve to avoid tailgating.”
Except in football stadium parking lots, tailgating is always a bad idea. It encourages speeding and provokes road rage, and it’s a highly preventable recipe for disaster that accounts for nearly one in four of all traffic collisions. Give those pokey, slow-moving vehicles ahead of you a wide berth, and if someone is riding your bumper, make it easy for them to pass and annoy someone else. Conflict avoidance is a major step toward safer driving and a happy, healthy New Year.
THE DENVER CAR ACCIDENT LAWYERS AT FDAZAR
For more than thirty years the attorneys at Franklin D. Azar & Associates have helped thousands of injured people obtain complete and timely compensation for their losses. Our proven track record and expertise have allowed us to grow into the largest personal-injury law firm in Colorado, with offices in Denver, Aurora, Thornton, Fort Collins, Greeley, Grand Junction, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo. If you’ve been injured in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Please call the attorneys at FDAzar day or night at (800) 716-9032 or contact us here for a free consultation and no-obligation evaluation of your case.
