Driving Safety Tips For This Labor Day Weekend

Many things have changed in the last 18 months, most things for the bad but there has been some good. One thing that I've done a lot more of is to take a drive and enjoy the scenery of the Southern Tier.

Labor Day weekend is here and we are expecting good weather so maybe you'll be like me and take a drive this weekend. As relaxing as this can be, we must remember that driving is serious business.

It's easy to get distracted by people texting on their cell phones, changing traffic patterns, and the kids asking if they are there yet. It only takes a moment to have your life go from laughter to sadness. It can make your trip a memorable experience for all the wrong reasons.

GMAC Insurance has come up with a list of driving errors that we make because we aren't paying attention.

Driving Errors

Backing up without looking. You don't have eyes in the back of your head, so make you look over both sides of your shoulder when you put the car in reverse. I think in some ways, backup cameras have made us dumber.

Don't totally rely on them without looking around behind you. There can be a margin of error, so don't just take it for granted.

Multi-tasking. When you turn on your vehicle, turn off the gadgets, and catch up on other activities later. If you are sitting at a red light, you may think that it's okay to take a peek at your phone and return a text. I had a cop remind me with a quick honk from his car, that I needed to put the phone away while I wanted for the light to turn green.

Follow Too Closely. Does anything really good happen when you do that? Are you really in that big of a hurry? Think of it this way, if you get in an accident, then you are going nowhere fast.

Failing to yield on a left-hand turn. Check the flow before you go. Look at the street that you are turning on and make sure there are no vehicles or pedestrians in your path.

Take a moment to do these things while driving this Labor Day weekend (or any other time for that matter) and you'll actually end up saving time and possibly your life.