Did you know that April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month? That’s the perfect time for Skiles Automotive Services to share tips with you about avoiding distracted driving and being the safest driver you can possibly be.
Distractions Affect Everyone on the Road
Lots of drivers think that whatever they do inside their own car only affects them. But the fact is that one distracted driver affects every other driver on the road. The decisions that you’re making in your car affect what other drivers have to do either to avoid your car or to be safe themselves. When every driver is doing their part to avoid being a distracted driver, that helps everyone to be as safe as possible while they’re on the road.
Avoiding Distractions Might Be Easier than You Think
When you first start thinking about reducing distractions while you’re driving, you need to get clear about what the biggest distractions are for you when you’re in the car. If that’s your phone or the radio, make some changes in how you use those items. Set your phone to vibrate or turn it off while you’re driving. Make sure that you adjust the radio only when the car is stopped. Being conscious of the things that serve as distractions to you while you’re driving is an important first step.
Defensive Driving Goes Along with Avoiding Distracted Driving
If you’re not already doing what you can to be a defensive driver, you might want to start. Defensive driving involves staying as aware as possible of what’s going on around you as you’re driving. Another defensive driving technique encourages you to leave plenty of space between yourself and other vehicles. That’s because it gives you space to react to changes happening around you. Use your turn signals, especially when changing lanes or turning, but don’t assume that just because other drivers are signaling that’s exactly what they’re going to do. Pay attention to what they actually do, so that you can react correctly to their actual actions.
Another important way to avoid distractions behind the wheel is for your car to be in the best possible condition. Need help with that? Call us today at Skiles Automotive Services in Bremen, IN. We’ll be happy to make sure that your car is up to date with all of its necessary maintenance and repairs so that you can be as safe as possible while driving.
