The Holidays Are Here, How's Your Driving?

The Holidays are here. More people will be partying. More people will be on the road. I think it's important to be alert and aware when you get behind the wheel of a car. A car is a weapon in the wrong hands and there are many things that can help you avoid becoming a statistic. Driving defensively is the best thing you can do.pecially whe people will be partying and getting onthe road. Here are some important things to remember when you are in a car or getting in a car.

First and foremost do not drink and drive. Ever. Make sure if you are at a party someone is the designated driver. A problem with people who drink is that they think they are okay to drive. They aren't. Size, weight, age, what they've eaten are all factorsn when people drink.

You also need to consider any medications a person may be on that might hinder ability to react swiftly. Road conditions can contribute to a persons ability to control a vehicle. Wet or snowy conditions can cause ar car to hydroplane and can limit visibility. The party season is also in most parts of the country, snow or rainy season. When rain first starts to fall is when the road is the slipperiest.

If you are the driver keep in mind driving at dusk requires lights on and special attention. Sun glare in the early morning can be a problem as well. Be aware of these issues and be sure you know how to handle them. Pay special attention. Decrease your speed. Be sure you know to pump your brakes and steeer into a spin. Lights must be on if you're using your windshield wipers. Your wipers should be in good condition. You need to learn accident avoidance and car control and you need to be familar with how your car works in different situations.

Make sure the car you get into is in top condition. I am almost always the designated driver since I know the ocndition of my car. Wipers should be in good condition as I mentioned above. Be sure your tires are properly inflated and not bald. Make sure your brakes aren't worn and that your shocks are in good shape. Be sure you are buckled in. Does your car have an airbag? Do you have ABS traction control? Are your passengers buckled up? Are children secured in their car seats? Are the car seats properly installed? Many police stations offer car seat installation checks points.

The vehicle you drive can save your life. Small cars have smaller crumple zones. I know, personally, gas prices high or low, I want the biggest vehicle I can handle. Being in a large car has saved my life and each time I upgraded to even larger cars. I now have a white Suburban. With a push bar. The push bar gives me a few more inches, prevents some of the damage a front end collision would incur and makes me feel safer. A light colored or white car is far more visible than a dark or black car. Especially at dusk or at night.

Aside from the party season its immportant in general to drive defensively, cautiously and safely.

I drive in Florida. We have to deal with the elderly, the vacationers, the extremely young drivers, drivers on drugs or alcohol, foreign drivers and the people who just drive like they are in the Indy 500. In Florida lane changing is the norm. People will fly across three lanes when they access a major artery. In most places it's the law that you signal at least three times each time you change lanes. Keep in mind yellow lights do not mean go faster. They are a warning the red is coming next, slow down and be prepared to stop. In Florida we count to 10 before continuing to drive when our light turns green because so many people run red lights there.

The rule of the road when you want to drive safe is actually to choose major highways. You have a median on one side and on and off ramps rather than lights, side streets, stop signs, intersections and people making turns People accessing streets often will roll a stop sign or forget to look left, right, left. They will misjudge the speed of approaching cars, they will run red lights. I still boils down to the fact it isn't cars and roads that kill people its people in accidents who cause motor vehicle accidents. People aren't paying attention, they're talking on a cell phone, reading directions, applying make up, lighting up a cigarette, putting on make up or being distracted by fellow passengers. I saw a man going 70 plus mph on the Sawgrass Expressway while shaving his head, with both hands while checking in the mirror to see how he was doing with the shave. I left a wide safety zone around him.Maybe he was going to a party and getting ready, who knows. I dropped back and moved over a lane. A safety zone or buffer zone is good to keep around you when you drive. Keep a good distance on all sides of you between you and other cars to the best of your ability. This isn't always possible but you do it as best as you can. When one car hits another the speed of both cars multiplies the impact.

Avoid left turns, you are turning across traffic. Right turns are safer. Always be wary at intersections even if you have the right of way. Be watchful around driveways and side roads and in parking lots as well. Drivers can be very distracted in parking lots, they're looking for spaces not for you and your car.

Driving in the outside lane gives you another layer of safety. You have more options in an emergency, and one side with no cars to harm you.

Driving is a responsibility, you need to take every precaution and drive defensively so you can be around to go to the next party.