Boise, Idaho: How to Change Driving Attitudes—Personal Injury Attorney Offers Some Strategies
Safe driving begins in the mind and the heart. Drivers must make a conscious decision to drive defensively and to avoid unsafe behaviors behind the wheel. It’s all too convenient or easy to pick up the phone when driving. Choosing not to drink and drive means careful planning. And, the decision to stay calm when other drivers are cutting you off or being inconsiderate can sometimes feel like it requires you to have the patience of Yoda or a Zen monk.
Yet, Boise, Idaho police officers are trying to change driving attitudes, one candy bar at a time. According to KTVB, local law enforcement officers pulled over individuals who had broken traffic laws. Rather than issuing tickets, law enforcement issued drivers a verbal warning and gave them two chocolate bars. The “pay it forward” program offers drivers a pleasant surprise, while also providing a reminder about the importance of driving safety over the holidays. With road conditions evolving due to snow, ice, and cold, drivers need to be extra careful when they hit the road. This means adjusting speed to conditions and making sure that they are driving defensively.
The initiative is geared to changing driving attitudes and habits. One driver who was stopped noted that he definitely planned to adjust his speed going forward. Changing driving behaviors requires more than gifts and goodwill, though. Driving behavior is based on personal accountability. Attitudes and outlook have a big impact on the choices that drivers make when they get behind the wheel.
The good news is that more drivers believe that their choices behind the wheel matter and make a difference. Road Safety for Life notes that drivers, community organization, and governments are now all believed to play a role in road safety.
Safe driving attitudes translate into the choices that drivers make. For instance, respect for other drivers often means that drivers will be less likely to tail gate. Drivers who believe that their actions can impact driving safety are more likely to monitor their mirrors and use defensive driving strategies to prevent accidents.
Another important attitude drivers can cultivate, particularly over the holiday season, is to be aware that road conditions can change quickly. Even a light dusting of snow can make roads slick and dangerous to navigate. Drivers should never take road conditions for granted and remember that black ice may be hard to see.
Driving safety is everyone’s business. The Boise Law Office of Johnson & Lundgreen works tirelessly to raise driving safety awareness and to help protect victims of car accidents. We work closely with families and loved ones of accident victims to ensure that they not only receive the justice they deserve, but that the factors that resulted in their accidents are brought to light to prevent similar accidents from happening in the future. Accident prevention is always better than recovery. This holiday, we urge all drivers to avoid drinking and driving, to drive defensively, and to consider that your actions behind the wheel matter.
