Everyone could use a driving refresh every once in a while! Whether you’re a self-proclaimed great driver or you’ve just recovered from an accident, it’s always worth improving your driving skills. Being a great driver means being a safe driver, but it’s easier than ever today to be distracted while driving. Here are some easy ways to keep your distractions to a minimum while you’re operating your car so you can be safe from Point A to Point B!
Refresh the Basics
No matter how long you’ve been driving, odds are you’ve forgotten some of the basic rules of the road. How close can you drive to the car in front of you? What are the rules for a left turn at a major intersection? How far can you park from a mailbox on a rural highway? These are questions that you might not have to answer everyday, but you probably should. Take a few minutes to review the basics of the road with this Driving Guide so you feel confident the next time you find yourself on a rural highway or at a busy intersection!
Stop Multitasking
The biggest reason accidents happen is because people are busy doing something else. Whether they’re texting, talking on the phone, or even putting on makeup, these things all cause a large number of devastating accidents every day. I know what you’re thinking. “I’m a great multitasker!” I hate to break it to you, but multitasking is a myth.
There’s no such thing as being able to do more than one thing at once. If you’re multitasking, you’re not being safe since your attention is not on the road. I know it’s hard, but get in the habit of not doing anything other than driving until you stop your car at a red light or your final destination. Because it’s impossible to fully focus on more than one thing at a time, keep your attention completely on the road!
Use Your GPS Before You Start Driving
It’s tempting to turn your GPS on while you’re driving. If you’re using an app or even a car navigation system, you might not realize you need help until you’re halfway to your destination. GPS systems are incredibly distracting, and they’re never worth the risk of hurting yourself or others. It’s better to make a wrong turn that to fiddle with your phone as you try to type in an address. Always set up your GPS before you start driving to avoid having to mess with it later.
Download a Safe Driving App
Like all things in life, there’s an app for that. If you know you’re tempted to pick up your phone while driving, you should download a safe driving app to cut down on distractions. There are apps that block messages so you don’t get those tempting alerts, and they’ll even said a message to the sender letting them know you’ll respond as soon as you’re no longer driving! Other apps help you learn more about how you’ve been driving so you can see if you need to make improvements.
One of the best apps is LifeSaver. It does almost everything! It helps you stop dangerous habits by blocking the ability to use your phone while you’re behind the wheel. Not only that but it will respond to messages on your behalf so your senders don’t think you’re ignoring them. It has a dashboard to show you how good your driving is, so you can keep track of positive changes. Another app is Mojo which rewards you for not interacting with your phone while you drive. You can even cash in your rewards for real gift cards!
Are you a safe driver? Safe drivers are drivers who know better than to fall for distractions while they’re behind the wheel! It only takes a second to lose focus and get in an accident. Don’t risk your life for a text message or anything else! Try one of these easy tips above to improve your driving safety today.
