Cars are convenient, essential parts of daily life that enable us to get to work, buy our groceries and pick our kids up from soccer practice. But we're so used to driving our cars that we can often forget that they can be dangerous too. Safe driving is a habit that should be instilled in every single driver, especially the younger ones. Fortunately, it's just a matter of practicing a few basic habits to make sure that your next road trip is as safe as it is fun.

Staying aware
This may sound like a no-brainer, but the most important thing you can do to encourage safe driving is keep your awareness tuned to your car and what's going on around you in the road. If this sounds redundant, it's because it hasn't entirely sunk in for many drivers – a government survey from the U.S. Department of Transportation found that over 3,000 driver deaths and over 400,000 driver injuries in 2012 were caused by driver distractions. 

The most common culprit when it comes to distracting drivers? You guessed it – cellphones. Of course, drivers without phones aren't immune from distraction. Before you go to change your radio station or use your electric shaver on your way to the office, stop and think about whether or not you should wait until you're stopped – the answer is almost always yes.

The right tools
A big part of safety behind the wheel is making sure that everything is in properly maintained and in working order, and that people make use of a car's safety features. Buckling up is a habit that gets force-fed to every single driver from childhood, and it's for good reason. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared that seatbelts can reduce accident-related injury and death by up to 50 percent. 

Also make sure to keep your eye on a few key systems of your car, namely your tires and your fuel gauge. Blown-out or underinflated tires can create a serious hazard in the form of poor traction and loss of control, while driving on fumes does your car no favors either. Not only do you risk getting stranded, but the dregs of your gas tank are swimming with impurities from your gasoline that get pumped right into your engine when it's empty, which can seriously impact performance.

If your car is in need of a checkup, make an appointment with NJ State Auto Auction's Total Car Care Center. The skilled mechanics on staff will help identify and fix any problems that may be holding your car back.