New Year’s Resolutions for Car Owners to Consider

December 12th, 2023 by

The start of 2024 is upon us, a time to make life-altering resolutions and then immediately break them. But here’s a new thought for the new year: what if 2024 is the year you stick to your resolutions?

The thing about New Year’s resolutions is that there’s no need for them to be major life upgrades (though they certainly can be). If you commit yourself to losing weight and succeed, more power to you! But holding yourself to a handful of small changes can wind up making a large impact.

For every car owner, there’s plenty of small adjustments that can be made when it comes to your driving habits, how you care for your car, and more. Here are five resolutions to consider in 2024:

Don’t Ignore the Service Light

The service light coming on in your car is inherently alarming, but obviously there’s a spectrum of issues it could be indicating, some far more serious than others. And it’s perfectly normal for people to ignore the problem until it becomes something more tangible.

But in 2024, try to address small problems before they snowball into large, costly ones. Schedule regular service appointments with our experts here at Steven Kia, and when your service light flashes, take it to the garage as soon as you can. Your checking account will surely thank you in the long run.

Clean Your Car Regularly

Keeping your car cosmetically healthy is less important than monitoring what’s happening under the hood – but that doesn’t mean it’s unimportant. The interior of your car, especially, can wind up accumulating dirt and debris quickly, to the point where you wonder how you let it get to that condition. When you suddenly need to give a passenger a ride, you could find yourself in an embarrassing situation.

You should wash your car about every two weeks to keep the body clean. Every two months or so, consider running it through a more thorough wash or wax.  And every time you take it to the car wash, make sure to vacuum the inside to keep it consistently clean.

Put Your Phone Down

More and more of today’s vehicles are embracing the fact that our phones have become an integral part of daily lives. Thanks to the rise of interconnected apps and infotainment screens, interacting with certain facets of your phone while driving is becoming safer and more seamless.

That said, if the only way to check your phone is still to pull it out of your pocket while you’re on the road… stop doing that in 2024. Pull over to the side of the road if you have to text, but otherwise remember it’s okay not to look at a screen for a half-hour. Cell phone usage still contributes to 1.6 million crashes each year, and one out of four accidents is caused by texting and driving. Even if double-tasking on the road hasn’t been an issue for you before, focus your attention on your windshield and don’t needlessly endanger lives. Remember, all it takes is one incident to dramatically alter your life.

Know Your Lane

If you’re driving on the highway, it’s important to understand highway etiquette. When you’re in the fast lane and someone is behind you, find a safe opportunity to change lanes and let them pass you. There’s always that one puzzling driver going 55 miles per hour in the left lane; you don’t want to be that driver. Think of it this way: you wouldn’t refuse to move your cart if you were blocking someone at the grocery store. In 2024, let’s all resolve to become more responsible drivers by expressing common courtesy and sticking to our lanes.

Consider Making the EV Switch this Year

This one constitutes more of a major life change, but if you have the resources, 2024 is the year to give serious thought to making the change to hybrid or electric. The impact it has on lowering carbon emissions is substantial, and we’re going to need every advantage we can get to combat climate change in the years ahead.

It helps that more and more dealerships are buying into the EV experience. Here at Steven Kia, you can currently check out the forthcoming Kia EV9. And charging stations are starting to pop up everywhere. Here are some just a few nearby charging stations in and around Rocktown:

Cruise Into the New Year

No one is perfect when it comes to making and keeping resolutions, but with some effort, we can all change our habits. Hopefully, you take these suggestions to heart, because they’re truly important to creating a safer, more orderly world. But even if you’re only able to implement one or two of these resolutions into your driving routine, you’re exhibiting a real and meaningful desire to change.

What never changes is the quality of vehicles you’ll find here at Steven Kia. One more resolution: schedule a test drive today, and explore exciting vehicles like the 2023 Kia Sportage or Kia Niro. Whatever’s on your wish list this holiday season, we’re here to send you driving off into 2024 in style.

Posted in Steven KIA Tips