About 7 years ago (while going through a mid-life crisis), I decided to learn how to ride a motorcycle. Growing up in South Carolina a lot of my friends had motorcycles as a family bike. My family didn’t have a lot of resources so we never had one but that never killed my desire to have a motorcycle to ride. When I turn 50 I took a course on how to operate and ride that was very eye-opening. Not only did this course teach me the basic fundamentals of riding a motorcycle, but it also taught me some great life-saving lessons on defensive driving. As notary entrepreneurs, we are always on the road running from assignment to assignment. Here are a few tips I picked up from my +40 years of driving and the motorcycle course.
Take a defensive driving course. I have a large network of notary entrepreneurs I keep in contact with regularly. This could explain why every 3-6 months I hear of another notary entrepreneur who has been in a serious car accident. Much of the time it is not even the notaries fault. A defensive driving course will serve as a valuable refresher on what to look out for while on the roads and highways. It will also boost your driving prowess to reduce the chances that you cause an accident that harms others, their vehicles, and your own person or vehicle.
Budget and schedule regular vehicle maintenance. As notary entrepreneurs, your vehicle should be considered an asset. Keeping it properly maintained is critical to the success of your business. By properly maintaining your vehicle, you’ll reduce future repair costs, optimize your car’s performance, maintain its value and extend its life.
Check and replace your tires appropriately. Now I know what you are thinking…shouldn’t this tip be in the “Budget and schedule regular vehicle maintenance” section? My experience has shown me that this should have its own section because this is so important. Several years ago I was in a near-fatal car accident. I was driving too fast for the conditions on the road and did not maintain my vehicle properly. My tires were in terrible shape. As I was driving down a country road (too fast) I tried to apply the brakes as I was approaching a corner. I soon discovered that not only was I not slowing down but the car fishtailed and slide right off the road doing around 60 miles an hour. I remember being thrown around the car like a ragdoll and finally coming to a stop. The only thing that saved me was that I had my seatbelt on. Months before the accident I remember looking at my threadless tires telling myself that one day I need to get new tires but never did. After that accident, I mentally wasn’t able to drive for 18 months. It took me 6 months before I would ride in a car with someone else driving.
Here is a good rule of thumb for tires. Since your tires lose about one to two PSI every monthl after you fill them, then as a general rule, check all four of your tires, including your spare, at least once a month, and during large termperature swings. I believe maintaining proper tire pressure and a quick inspection of the threads on your tires can be life saving. Check your vehicles Owners Operators Manual for more details.
Before driving in a residential neighborhood turn off the music, books on tape, or other distracting sounds in your vehicle. Driving through neighborhoods, especially those neighborhoods that you are not familiar with, you will need to give your full attention to not only finding your location but to find it safely. With distracting sounds off in your car you can focus on safe arrival. When returning to your car walk completely around your vehicle to make sure kids are not playing behind your car or that you don’t run over a toy placed behind your vehicle. This habit after leaving an assignment has really saved me from a lot of later headaches.
Staying safe on the road is one of my number one priorities. What are some tips that you found helpful on the road.
Other articles by the author……..
- Exploring the World of Notarization: A Dive into The Notary Podcast with Daniel C. Lewis
- Apps for Successful Notaries and Biometrics: Shaping the Future of Notary Services
- 5 Reasons to have an Aflac Indemnity Plan for Entrepreneurs
- Why Use Referral Partnerships for Your Business
- Inexpensive Ways to Market Your Business
Daniel C. Lewis resides in Carmel, IN. He was named in 2010 Notary of the Year by the National Notary Association. He was also named in the same year an Honorary Secretary of State by the Indiana Secretary of State. Daniel is currently serving as the Executive Director of the Lewis Notary & Training Services Inc. Daniel is an entrepreneur, writer, video editor, and Keynote Speaker.
