Make Your New Year's Resolution a Life Saver

5 Jan 2018

It’s a New Year, and a great time to make little changes for the better. While you’re weighing up the merits of a new diet or exercise plan, some simple shifts in your driving could make a huge difference to you and those around you. According to research cited by RoSPA, the majority of British motorists admit to some kind of dangerous behaviour behind the wheel. In a survey of 1000 drivers, 38% felt they suffered from road rage, while 1 in 5 said they had seen someone get out of a vehicle to threaten another driver.

The top ten bad driving habits are:

1. Going too fast: 64%

2. Texting while driving: 60%

3. Using the phone or hands free: 57%

4. Eating at the wheel: 54%

5. Driving too close to other vehicles: 52%

6. Throwing rubbish out of the window: 51%

7. Going too slow: 50%

8. Smoking while driving: 48%

9. Hogging the middle lane: 47%

10. Checking phone notifications: 46%

All of the above are potentially punishable offences, and are known to contribute to road accidents. Obviously using a phone, speeding and littering are illegal, but eating and smoking can both lead to charges of not being in proper control of your vehicle. Any behaviour that distracts you from the road or puts yourself or others at risk should be avoided. Give driving your full attention, and be considerate towards other road users.

Making the roads a safer and less stressful place could be the easiest resolution you can make – and keep.

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