New year, new driving habits

Chances are, many of you will agree with me when I say that 2025 was not a good year to be driving.

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Traffic has not eased and has only seemed to worsened throughout the holidays. It was yet another year of viral road rage videos. Of course, the year also had its fair share of gruesome accidents.With more coding-exempt hybrids and EVs set to join the road, some serious rehabilitation planned for major roads, and no real concrete solution to our flooding woes yet, it's evident there's little we can do about the worsening traffic. The best we can do is adapt to it.

The best way we can make it somewhat more palatable is not to contribute to the problems on the road. We can do this by being a conscientious driver. To be one, here are some tips to keep in mind.

Always signal

This goes without saying, but many drivers seem to think that signaling only applies when making 90-degree turns. Truth be told, our cars and motorcycles come with many ways to signal our intentions: turn signals, high beams, the horn, and hazard lamps.

Use these tools to more clearly broadcast your intentions. Use turn signals not just to make right angle turns, but also when changing lanes or pulling out of parking spaces.

Use high beams to let other vehicles know you are there. Flash your lights when a vehicle appears to be encroaching into your lane, or to signal to pedestrians and other cars that you're coming through.