The start of another new year means it is time to brainstorm resolutions for 2015. Most people in San Antonio, Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, Terrell Hills and surrounding areas make resolutions designed to improve their health or some other aspect of their lives. For example, you may resolve to read more books, spend more time with your family or lose weight this new years.

When you are thinking about the resolutions you can make to improve this year, consider resolving to try to be a better driver. A personal injury lawyer knows that accidents are routinely caused by drivers making bad choices. With a few simple lifestyle changes, you could reduce the risk of a collision and make the roads safer for everyone.

What to Resolve to Improve Driver Safety

Almost every driver does at least some dangerous things behind the road. Unfortunately, the majority of motorists will get into a crash at some point in their lives. In fact, Forbes reports that a driver will file a claim with an auto insurance company for a motor vehicle crash an average of once every 17.9 years.

There are a few different behaviors that contribute to causing the majority of collisions in the United States. If you make a resolution to make three simple changes to the way that you drive, you can help to avoid becoming a cause of a crash that injures yourself or others. This year in 2015 and beyond, you should resolve:

• That you won’t drive distracted any more. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are nine people killed and 1,153 people hurt every single day in this country because of distracted drivers. You increase your risk of a distracted driving crash by taking your eyes off of the road; by taking your hands off of the wheel; or by doing things that cause a cognitive distraction. Often, using a cell phone or electronic device requires you to do all three of these things. This year, resolve that you won’t let your focus be taken away from the road.
• That you won’t speed any more. Speeding is really common, but it is also a cause of around a third of all car accidents in the United States, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The majority of speeding crashes — 38 percent — happen on minor local roads while only 30 percent occur on interstates and freeways. You can avoid the risk of these crashes and also save yourself money by going the speed limit. Fuel Economy reports that you’ll get 33 percent better gas mileage on highways and five percent better mileage on town roads if you slow down.
• That you won’t be aggressive on the roads. Aggressive driving includes things like tailgating and changing lanes when it is not safe to do so. Aggressive driving increases the risk of crashes and threatens the safety of others. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that as many as 67 percent of drivers said they have felt threatened by aggressive driving behavior over the course of the year.

These three changes are minor shifts in the way you drive, but they can make all the difference.

Contact a San Antonio accident lawyer at the Herrera Law Firm. Call 800-455-1054 or visit www.herreralaw.com for a free case consultation. Serving San Antonio, Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, Terrell Hills and surrounding areas.