The Car Connection came up with a great list of 2009 New Year Driving Resolutions I just had to share them with our readers.

• Buckle up yourself and your children properly. No single thing can prevent more highway accident injuries and deaths than belting in, especially for children and small adults.
• Concentrate on driving. If you must use a car phone, have it professionally installed in your car. If you must eat on the road, pull over for fifteen minutes so you’re not balancing a 64-ounce drink in your lap while doing 70 mph on the highway.
• Stay in control. Aggressive driving isn’t only happening in commutes. If someone irks you or makes threatening moves, don’t challenge them: slow down and blend into saner traffic. If necessary, drive to the nearest police station for your own safety.
• Become a mirror-checker. Not for makeup or hair, but for the flow of traffic. You can see a lot of incidents coming your way if you scan your mirrors — rearview and side mirrors — every half a minute or so.
• Pass left, drive right. The left-most lanes are meant for passing. If you’re not passing or not completing a pass in less than a minute, move over and let others by.
• Park with a conscience. Other people’s cars deserve the same care you’d give your own. If a space is too tight to open your doors comfortably, find another one.
• Learn how to stop in a hurry. While anti-lock brakes are standard or available on most cars today, many drivers still aren’t familiar with how they work. If you’ve got a car with them but have never experienced them in action, find a local parking lot and feel them working.
• Create some breathing room. The proper following distance of three car lengths is almost nonexistent in today’s traffic-clogged commutes. But on the open road, there’s no reason to travel tightly packed, convoy-style. Open some space between your bumper and the car ahead, and you’ll cut the risk of being a statistic.
• Pay attention to flashing lights. Whether it’s an emergency vehicle, police car, or a fellow driver flashing to pass, pay heed and pull right.
• Change lanes safely. Miss your exit? Need to make the next right-hand turn — but you’re in the left lane? Don’t move across three lanes of traffic, or cut off other drivers — wait until the next opportunity, go back, and try it again.

Great tips and a big thank you to the Car Connection for sharing:

http://www.thecarconnection.com/article/1000827_driving-resolutions