10 Points to Being a Better Driver

Be aware of your environment.

Rain, road repairs, other drivers, etc. all influence how you must adapt.

Understand your vehicle.

Your car has limits, knowing what they are will give you a clearer picture of it's tolerances and reactions.

Be aware of your self.

Are you drunk, old, aggressive, a tailgater?  Each of these factors may change how you drive, so adjust accordingly.

Be courteous.

Think about how much you'd appreciate it next time someone isn't.

Be understanding.

You'll see thousands of drivers every week, so try to understand that the mistake you see one of them make might be the first one they've ever made.

Don't try to pass in a merge.

There's no reason for you to sideswipe me so you can be in front.

Indicate your actions.

Use your turn signal well BEFORE the lane-change, not when you've already drifted into the next lane.

Don't excessively speed.

Tests have shown that going another 25 miles an hour only gets you to the next red light 6 seconds before I do.

Get off the cell phone.

You can't give anything more than 100 percent of your attention, so try giving more of it to the road around you.

Take a driving course.

And I don't mean the one traffic court made you attend!  Advanced driving courses cover such essentials as the driving apex and physics.  Don’t assume that because you have a million miles and 30 years of driving that you know everything!