I've known my friend Justin for about 20 years. For almost 15 years of that time he's been a police officer. Recently, after seeing one bad accident after another, he shared with me three things that are ridiculously simple, but could literally save your life.

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    Buy The Safest Car That You Can Afford

    Saying to myself, "if you can't drive it, you shouldn't have bought it!" has become a mantra of mine when I see people driving huge vehicles badly, or parking them ridiculously. But it's true.

    In a day and age where saving money is more important than ever, the one place that you shouldn't skimp is on your vehicle.

    It doesn't mean that you have to break the bank on a luxury import, but you also shouldn't get a cheap car with poor safety ratings just to save a few bucks.

    There are plenty of well respected sources for safety information like the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

    In addition to safety options like airbags and crash ratings, it's just about as import to drive a vehicle that you're comfortable driving.

    Getting a massive SUV with all the bells and whistles won't do any good if you're uncomfortable or unable to drive it safely.

    Which brings us to the next one...

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    Drive Sensibly

    When I say that this list is a trio of things that are glaringly simple, I really mean it.

    "Drive safely" may seem like a no-brainer, but I honestly find it stunning how a lot of people drive these days.

    I know, it's a topic that I have repeatedly beaten to death, but it really is a topic that can't be talked about too much.

    Just today I was shocked by the speed on the Parkway, and I openly admit that I'm someone who tends to drive a bit over the speed limit. But there were many cars that were passing me like I was going backwards on my morning commute.

    Not just that, but weaving in and out of lanes, tailgating, and worst of all, texting while they're going 80 miles an hour (not that there is any speed where texting while you're driving is safe).

    There's a reason that a police officer with a decade and a half of experience, having seen many firsthand tragedies, includes this on his list of things that can literally save your life.

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    Wear Your Seat Belt

    I'm not going to editorialize much on this one, I'll let Justin speak for himself here, because what he had to say about this specific topic pretty much says it all:

    I've certainly seen fatal crashes that did not have to be so. Almost all of them involve the person being ejected from the car, often times through their sunroof. None of them were wearing seat belts.

    After that, I honestly don't know what else can be said about this topic.

    Go back and read that one more time.

    Show your friends and family.

    Think about it every time that you get into a car, then buckle up.


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