This month, we celebrate Valentine’s Day, the time of year when we all think about love.  That’s a good thing – knowing people love you helps put value on your life and the things you do.  This year, we want to encourage all drivers to consider the ones they love by driving safer.  To help, we’ve unlocked the secret of L.O.V.E. as it relates to safe driving.

• L IS FOR LISTEN: We can learn a lot about our driving environment by just listening to what’s around us.  Often, the first warning of impending danger comes as a sound – maybe it’s the screech of tires, a car horn or an emergency siren.  Don’t play your music so loud you can’t hear the world around you, and don’t let yourself get so engrossed in music or conversation that you tune out the world outside your car.  Recognizing the danger posed by a particular sound could allow you to react slightly faster than if you waited until you saw it, and that could mean all the difference.
• O IS FOR OBSERVE: Avoid tunnel vision.  Keep scanning the entire environment around your car, not just the road ahead of you.  Check your mirrors (side and rearview) often, and always check over your shoulder when merging or changing lanes to clear your blind spot.  And remember not to linger in someone else’s blind spot – make sure other drivers can observe you too.
• V IS FOR VALUE: Value your own life, and value the lives of others in traffic around you.  We’re all important to someone, and we all have things to contribute to this world.  Try not to get upset with the mistakes of others, and instead correct your driving behavior to accommodate them.  Try to be the best driver you can be, so your chances of arriving alive are as high as possible.
• E IS FOR EXPERIENCE:  Get as much of it as you can.  While you’re learning to drive under supervision, experience as many road types as possible, and as many challenging situations as possible.  Learn from your experiences, your accomplishments and your mistakes.  Vow to never make the same mistake twice.  Once you have your license, periodically assess yourself for bad habits, and try to use your experiences to correct them.