Spring is in the air, and everyone in Freehold will soon take notice, from drivers and pedestrians to joggers and cyclists. Very soon people will begin rolling down their windows, shrugging off their sweaters, and taking to the streets. That means drivers need to be more careful than ever to watch their turns and go the extra mile to keep everyone who is out and about safe and sound.

This spring, Lester Glenn Mazda would like to remind our customers to keep these six rules in mind as they’re behind the wheel of the 2016 Mazda3.

  1. Maintain three feet of clearance from cyclists at all times. The more drivers who stick to this rule, the more cyclists will be able to rely on it and travel accordingly. Many states have now made it a law for drivers to keep three feet between themselves and cyclists, so why not treat it as a rule of thumb?
  2. Get a little perspective. When they’re behind the wheels of Mazda cars, drivers are surrounded by safety precautions like a vehicle frame and airbags, but cyclists have only helmets and knee pads at best. Should a collision occur, the driver of a car will almost always come out in better shape. Just keeping this fact in mind should hopefully enable drivers to take actions that will keep cyclists safe.
  3. Look carefully before you make a left turn. It can be difficult for many drivers to judge accurately how much time they have to turn left in front of an approaching cyclist before they run the risk of ending up in a collision. Cyclists can travel up to 15 or 20 miles per hour, so if you’re in any doubt as to how much time you have to make a safe left turn, it’s better to yield than risk anyone’s safety.
  4. Take right turns cautiously. Drivers who neglect to signal right turns may be sending the wrong message to cyclists who may be slightly behind and to the right of them. If cyclists aren’t aware that the car is about to turn, the two may collide.
  5. Never look at your cell phone while driving. Texting or playing a game is always a risk, but it’s especially dangerous when lives could be in the balance.
  6. Look around before exiting the car. Cyclists are often injured when a driver opens the door unexpectedly before them. Be courteous and take a moment to glance outside the window before opening your door.

At Lester Glenn Mazda, safety is our biggest priority, so we appreciate it when our customers go the extra mile to ensure that everyone around them is as safe as possible, too.