New Year’s resolutions is an age-old tradition — for young and old alike. Through it, anyone can set goals to either continue a good or change a particular behavior and even accomplish a personal goal.

The practice can also be applied to car owners. Here are a few samples of possible New Year’s resolutions one might consider.

Follow PMS schedules faithfully

It’s not uncommon for some car owners to say that “I know my car.”

On that note, one might believe that he or she can do away with not regularly replacing a car’s fluids, running on dirty filters, driving with worn-out brakes, and so on.

Why fix it if it is not broken, right?

But following your car’s preventive maintenance service (PMS) schedule has advantages.

For one, religiously adhering to the vehicle’s PMS schedule ensures that possible mechanical issues can be prevented, saving owners the trouble of having to stress about having their cars break down while on the road.

Not only is it inconvenient to look for workshops or service centers in unfamiliar places but it can also be expensive. And to make matters worse, it would cost owners to have their cars towed should an untoward incident happen while they’re on expressways.

With that said, sticking to one’s PMS schedules could be a good resolution for car owners in 2024.

Properly using signal lights

Signal lights have been put on cars for a reason. Their intended use is to allow the driver to communicate with other road users to prevent potential road accidents.

Ideally, you should activate your turn signals at least a few meters before you make your turn when driving in the city. Unfortunately, some drivers make either a left or a right turn first before using their signal lights.

The same goes when changing lanes. One must use their signal lights first before moving either to the left or to the right to give the car behind them — or beside them — enough time to allow them to make the proper adjustment to allow you to switch lanes.

Correctly using signal lights not only helps prevent road accidents but also averts road rages since road users will better understand each other while driving.

And speaking of road rages…

Be calm while on the road

Another resolution worth noting is to extend one’s patience while driving.

We’ve seen a handful of videos online that show drivers losing their cool after an incident. Some of the more popular clips circulating online include the one involving an ex-cop who pulled a gun against a cyclist as well as the recent viral video where an alleged policeman asked for the license of another driver.

Remember that keeping one’s calm while sitting behind the wheel might take up several seconds of your time but in turn, will ensure that you and your family are safe from harm. Plus, you won’t get featured on social media pages making you an instant “celebrity” overnight.

To note, members of the House of Representatives even filed House Bill 8991, aka Anti-Road Rage Bill.

Under the proposed law, the government will be allowed to file cases against road rage suspects even without the victims' cooperation.

Final thoughts

These are just some samples of possible New Year’s resolutions for car owners. Remember that aside from giving one’s car more love, drivers can also work on good driving practices as well as keeping a calm mind while on the road.

Photos from Juan Paulo Papa

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