Welcome to 2021! It’s so good to be done with 2020– a year that brought us a global pandemic, wildfires, and unrest. While 2021 may be just as bad, it’s best to concentrate on the positive: you survived, and you can move into 2020 having learned a few things about yourself, your family, your neighbors, your community at large, and your country.

If you haven’t made any New Year’s resolutions yet, we have five suggested resolutions for your driving that can help to make you a better, safer driver in 2021 and improve the Lexington roads and highways as a whole:

  1. Buckle everyone in the proper seat – Wearing your seatbelt in 2021 seems like a very easy ask, but it’s shocking how many people drive without one. Or put an infant in the front seat next to them without a proper child seat, just because it’s easier to reach the infant there. Kids must be properly buckled to avoid dying in a car crash. If you see anyone doing this, speak out– they may be angry at being called out, but you also may just save the life of a child.
  2. Obey the Law and the Contract – There are the laws of your local town, and then there’s the deeper Social Contract we enter into in society to respect each other’s right to live safely and get our fair chance (which is a part of accepting the Rule of Law). For some reason, people get into traffic and reject both of these ideas, choosing their convenience over the safety of others and the laws of the land. Be kind and give way whenever you possibly can. Signal properly when you change lanes, giving time for others. Don’t run red lights in a hurry (or race through yellow lights to make it). Don’t speed if you can afford not to (posted speed limits are not there to cramp your style and create traffic, they are meant to prevent death).
  3. Drive defensively – If you’ve never had the chance to take a Defensive Driving Course, we strongly recommended taking one. They are meant to rewire the way you approach traffic issues to respond to a crisis with prevention instead of desperate reflexes. Don’t tailgate, and don’t brake-tap. Don’t allow emotions into your driving. Be in control and keep aware of when others are being reckless.
  4. Go Hands-Free Forever – Most cars released after 2012 have complete capability to go hands-free, routing your cellphone’s text messages and calls through your car’s audio and OnStar microphone. If you have a car advanced enough for these features, crack out the owner’s manual and learn how to keep yourself from looking away from the road and the dashboard at a text message or incoming call on your phone. Also, resolve to never, ever go through a drive-through window and less your intention is to take the food home. Eating while driving is most certainly distracted driving.
  5. Keep up with your car – Not knowing the outlying issues with your car’s repair needs is the beginning of neglect. Fixing this is very easy: bring it to Auto Excel and let us inspect your vehicle and make recommendations, putting you in charge of how you structure the repairs your car needs over the year to come.

We hope the New Year is fantastic for you and full of great moments, and that you stick to your resolutions. If you need help with the last one, come in for a comprehensive auto inspection! We’ll give you all the details on where your car is and what to expect in the months ahead. Just give us a call or make your appointment online with Auto Excel in Lexington today! You can find us at 271 Gold Rush Rd Suite 1, Lexington, KY 40503. See you soon!