This week, the Living with Intent Focus and Enthusiasm (L.I.F.E.) board stressed the importance of cautious driving. The following are some tips to stay safe on the road for all drivers from beginners to the experienced.

1. Get rid of distractions
Nowadays phones are everywhere and used constantly, whether for texting, calling, or even playing games. To get rid of the temptation to answer your phone or text your friends back, put your phone in the truck or in the glove compartment when you drive. Or, if it absolutely vital that you reply, find a safe parking spot away from the moving traffic to continue your conversation.

Although loving music is harmless, listening to it with headphones on or even with a loud volume while you are driving is extremely distracting and more importantly dangerous to yourself and other drivers. Try turning down the music so you can hear the sirens behind you. If you enjoy listening to the music on your iPod rather than the radio, invest in a car connector which streams music from your iPod or mp3 straight through the speakers in your vehicle.

2. Be aware of your surroundings and your car
Most accidents occur because people are not aware that another car is right beside them. In order to avoid this situation, be aware of your surroundings. For example, when driving on a freeway try to look further out into the distance rather than just the car in front of you. This step can help you anticipate if the car in front of you stops suddenly and forces you to do the same.

A good rule to follow is to be at least three seconds apart from the car in front of you when you are on a local road and five seconds away on the freeway. For instance, when you see the car in front of you pass a highway sign, begin counting “One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi, etc.” If you pass that same sign before you finish counting to five then you are too close and should slow down to avoid accidents.

In addition, always remember to check your blind spots despite what you may or may not see in the mirror before you change lanes or turn. Bikers or speeders tend to zoom past, expecting that you will yield to them.

Cars are all made by different companies in different countries with different materials. Thus, parts of one car are not similar to parts of another car of another brand. When trying out a new car, take some precautions and test out the car’s braking distance, keeping in mind that the braking distance is longer when it is raining and even longer when it is snowing.

3. Plan ahead
Laws such as speed limits are put in place so you drive in a safer environment and avoid accidents. Although many do not wish to speed, fear of being late to class or a meeting might cause that bad habit to occur. So plan ahead!

Wake up a little earlier so you do not have to put yourself and other drivers in danger when you speed. Granted, there will always be a time when your alarm clock does not go off or you just forget.

In that case, before you go speeding off at 85 mph on a 65 mph zone, park somewhere safe out of the way of traffic and call your boss or the school and tell them that you will be a few minutes late. If you decide not to or if it does not help your situation, it is still better to practice safe driving than to risk getting others or yourself in danger.

Being a safe driver not only helps yourself, but also keeps everyone around you safe. If you want more tips on how to be a safe driver, go to http://www.adeptdriver.com/, a site geared towards making teens and adults more aware of their surroundings and and creating a safer driving environment.