As we approach 2017, you may or may not have New Year’s resolutions on your mind. One that you should strongly consider is working to become the best driver possible. Even if you have had your license for a long time and consider yourself to be a great driver, there is no harm in brushing up on your skills and making a commitment to absolute road safety. In this article, we will share some ways to be a better driver in 2017. 1. Make sure your vehicle is road-safe If you have been driving a car that sounds (and feels) like it’s on its last legs/wheels, then you should take it to a repair shop or ditch it outright before you even think about doing any more driving with it. In fact, if your vehicle is determined to be lawfully unsafe, then you might be in violation of the law by operating it. A driver is only as good as their car, and if the car isn’t up to the task, then even the best driver will be out of luck. 2. Review, Review, Review Remember taking the test for your driver’s license? If you passed, you weren’t holding the steering wheel with one hand or turning without signaling. Why? Because you knew that doing either of those would be grounds for automatic failure. However, once you got your license, you might have felt like the rules no longer applied. After all, there was no more instructor, so what did it matter if you disobeyed the rules? Well, those rules exist for a reason and even if you think you can get away with breaking them, the reality is you’re jeopardizing your safety and the safety of everyone else on the road. So to be a better driver, you must follow the rules and know the rules. There is a chance that you are breaking certain rules without realizing it. Find an up-to-date driver’s education manual and read through it. Most of it should be simple review, but it’s always a good idea to make sure you know the rules of the road. 3. Ask Others to Hold You Accountable If you want to make your resolution to be a better driver stick, you should tell your friends and family about it. Furthermore, you should ask them to call you out if they see you doing anything unsafe while driving, such as texting. Additionally, you should observe others driving and speak up if you see them doing anything remotely unsafe. 4. Don’t Drive If You Don’t Feel Okay We’re not saying you should be bouncing off the walls ecstatically to drive safely. However, if you are tense/angry/drowsy, or feeling any other emotions that could impede your ability to operate a motor vehicle, you’ll want to step aside and take a few deep breaths or maybe just forego driving for the time being. Part of being a good driver means knowing when you should and shouldn’t drive. We hope this has given you some ideas on how to be the best driver possible in 2017. While you hopefully practice good driving habits already, it’s a great idea to brush up on your skills and commit to absolute road safety. You can be a great example for other drivers on the road this way.