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New Year is a time for turning over a new leaf, and many people make resolutions to give up smoking, cut back on drinking or maybe lose a bit of weight. But have you ever considered including some driving related ideas in your New Year’s resolutions? If your good intentions for January 1st have already fallen by the wayside, here are some genuinely useful ideas to try. It’s easy for even the best driver to pick up bad habits or develop sloppy skills, so take a look at our list of driving resolutions – and put a few on your list.
Always Buckle Up
If you are making a familiar journey or only travelling a short distance, it might be easy to forget to belt up, or even to think there is no need. However, it is estimated 400 people die each year in the UK because they fail to wear a seatbelt, and that seat belts have saved 35,000 lives over the past 25 years. If you are caught not wearing a seatbelt you face a £100 on the spot fine, rising to a potential £500 if you are prosecuted by the courts.
Be Fuel Efficient
Investing in a more fuel efficient car can have a positive impact on your wallet and the environment. If you are not looking to replace your car at the moment, there are things you can do to be more fuel efficient in your current vehicle, such as not idling, making sure your tyres are properly inflated and keeping to the speed limit.
Keep to the Speed Limit
Keeping to the speed limit will not only help make your driving more fuel efficient, it will also make your driving safer. By not speeding you will have more time to react to situations you encounter on the road, and so will be more likely to avoid an accident in the first place. If you do have an accident, the slower you are going, the better your chance of survival. Speed is a factor in around a third of all fatal road accidents, and at high speeds air bags and seat belts do not offer the maximum protection possible.
Never Drink and Drive
Although the number of casualties caused by drink driving has fallen over the years, drinking and getting behind the wheel still accounts for around 13% of all road fatalities in the UK. While it may be tempting to “just have a couple”, if you drink and drive you are risking your life, the lives of your passengers, and other road users and pedestrians. If you are planning to have a drink you should make plans to get home in advance, such as a lift with someone who isn’t drinking, or a taxi. If you have been drinking the night before, you should be aware you could still be over the legal limit the next morning, depending on how much you have been drinking. While UK law does allow for a low level of alcohol in the blood of drivers, it is always safer to not drink at all if you know you are going to be behind the wheel.
