Most of us start off the New Year with a resolve to change the way we do a few things. Commonly know as New Year's resolutions, these commitments usually involve body weight, health and smoking. But they often include the way we treat or react to certain people.

In this vein, let's take a look at some possible suggestions for New Year's resolutions for the driver.

Respect

This is the biggie, the one driving trait that creates the most stress for the majority of motorists.

If more people tried to live by the age-old suggestion of "doing unto others what we would have done unto us," life on the road would be a lot easier and more pleasant.

The two major issues here are lane discipline and jumping a line. If you are not in the act of passing, why stick to the outside lane? Leave it for those who, for whatever reason, are going faster.

Unless you have been properly appointed by the authorities as a traffic control officer, policing the left lane by deliberately staying there when people behind obviously are travelling more quickly and wish to pass, is a very selfish act. If someone wants to break the law, that's their problem. If, on the other hand, you are staying in the left lane because you are blissfully unaware of traffic behind you, that is simply unsafe driving. Set your mirrors and use them frequently.

As to jumping or barging in front by passing everyone on the shoulder or outside lane only to pull in at the last moment -- stop and think of how ignorant it is to assume your time is more valuable than that of everyone you just pushed in front of, all those who also have places to go and things to do. Would you behave the same way in a bank or grocery store where personal contact would result?

Count to 10

If someone does ring your bell, take time to remove the temptation to react. Two wrongs do not necessarily make a right, but commonly result in serious consequences.

Ignorant behaviour at the wheel is common and a growing concern -- don't add to the problem, as difficult as that may be.

Be considerate

In many ways, driving with safety as a priority also comes under the heading of thinking of others. By not buckling up or properly installing young people in appropriate restraint devices you are increasing the likelihood of death or injury.

When you or they are hospitalized, or worse, think of the strain on family and friends and on the entire social system due to increased medical expenses.

Driving is not a right; it is a privilege that can be removed for any number of reasons. One of those should be the failure to consider the consequences on society of failure to follow proven and regulated safety principles.

Space

In an ideal world, we'd leave hundreds of metres between vehicles and never have a rear-end collision or multiple-vehicle crash.

We don't live or drive in such a world but resolve to be more aware of that critical distance between your front bumper and the vehicle ahead. By driving less aggressively and more thoughtfully the life you save most likely will be your own.

One way to check this tendency is to observe your actions in light traffic, where there are few vehicles on the road. If nobody is on your rear bumper, why are you tailgating?

Concentrate

The one driving issue each and every one of us should endeavour to do better is concentrate on the job of driving. Not on virtually everything and anything else.

The distracted driver is virtually guaranteed to be at higher risk of a crash or close call by the simple expedient of having less time to recognize and react. It doesn't matter if you are talking on the phone, with a passenger or commenting on something you just heard on the radio - you are distracted. As for eating, applying makeup, shaving or even reading, it goes without saying these are invitations to disaster.

Look up, look waaaaay up

The further you look down the road, the more aware you will be of traffic information, little details that will give you plenty of warning and time to make proper decisions.

This one resolution will have more effect on your survival and peace of mind than almost anything you do in 2005.

Yellow means slow down

Not speed up.

Halifax-based Richard Russell runs a driving school.

.ca