Car accidents can and do happen very quickly and often come completely out of the blue without any prior warning. For instance, the braking lights of the vehicle in front of you can come on and force you to slam down on the brake, causing them to screech loudly and your body propel forward as you career into the back of the vehicle.
Experiencing a car accident can cause you to experience a whole host of different bodily injuries, emotional stress, and even money issues. Where one does happen and it was not your fault, you may want to think about hiring a specialist Car Accidents Lawyer, such as Derek L. Hall, PC,, who can pursue your claim and get all of the compensation that you deserve.
Even if the car accident was not your fault, you may be left thinking if there was something that you could have done differently to have prevented it from happening in the very first place. Although there may have not been anything that you could have done, in many instances, car accidents could have been avoided if things were done differently.
For this very reason, we have put together a list of ways in which car drivers can protect themselves whilst driving on the roads and prevent car accidents from happening. Whilst many of them may seem like common sense ideas, nonetheless they act as a reminder to pay greater attention and always be aware of what is around you when driving your car.
Stay Focused
The main cause of car accidents in the United States of America is the driver being distracted whilst at the wheel. Being distracted involves doing anything that takes your attention away from being fully focused on the act of driving. Unfortunately, given the fast paced and highly connected world that we all live in, this can happen all too easily, especially where cell phones are concerned. Other things that can distract you from driving include eating food and assisting passengers in the car with you.
Do Not Speed
The reason why there are speed signs all over the place is because driving too fast for the road conditions can be and is very dangerous. The faster the speed that you drive at, the slower that your reaction time will be should you have to brake all of sudden or swerve to avoid something in the road. It also takes a longer time for the car to stop when travelling at high speeds.
Do Not Drink Drive
Being drunk through the consumption of alcoholic beverages seriously impairs your ability to focus on driving and on using the car correctly. This is, of course, very dangerous when driving on roads that contain other drivers and pedestrians. Even though drink driving is highly discouraged, it does still occur and causes many car accidents each and every year. If you are drinking, then never drive and instead ask someone else who has not had an alcoholic drink to drive you to where you need to be.
Do Not Be Reckless
Not paying attention to the road and not being careful greatly increases your chance of being involved in a car accident. This is why you should always stick to the speed limits, change lanes at the correct speed, use your turning signals, and never tailgate another driver. Where you see another driver acting impatiently in traffic, be sure to take care around them, as they are likely to be reckless and aggressive.
Take Care In The Rain
The weather conditions at the time of driving play a huge part in many car accidents, with rain being one of the most common of all the causes. This is why it is always important to ensure safe driving practices when driving in the rain or when driving just after it has rained. This is because it creates a slippery surface on the road and can cause cars and other vehicles to skid or spin out of control.
Do Not Take Drugs
Both illegal and prescription drugs can and do cause drivers to be impaired and lack the necessary skills to drive their car with a full level of control. If you feel as though your mind is not fully clear and that you do not have full control of your body when getting into your car, then do not drive it anywhere.
Do Not Run Signs & Lights
At a red light or a stop sign you should always stop. Those drivers who do not do this run the risk of causing serious car accidents given the fact that the impacts are side on and at great speeds, meaning that the car that they hit is more likely to roll over. Not only should you stop when you are supposed to but you also need to look each way for any cars that may be oncoming.
Avoid Driving At Night
As is clear there are many dangers to driving during the day, but these are, in fact, doubled when driving at night in the dark. Because you cannot see as far ahead, you are unable to anticipate what is coming so you have less time to react to changes in the road or oncoming vehicles. As the light diminishes whilst driving, your concentration and awareness of what is around you should go up to counter this.
Do Not Tailgate
Lots of drivers out on the road are impatient and this can cause a car accident. Driving too close to the vehicle in front of you minimizes the amount of time that you have to react to any quick and sudden braking that they do. For this reason, you should always allow for a one car length between you and the car that is in front of you for each 10 mph that you are travelling at – so if you are travelling at 40 mph, leave a 4 second gap from the car in front of you. Tailgating is the cause of many fatal car accidents that happen on the roads. Tailgating can also lead to damage to your car. You can learn more about dent removal with Dinggo.
Take Care In Snow & Ice
Driving your car during the winter can be very hazardous given the poor weather conditions that are likely to be so. Some ice, such as black ice, is practically impossible to see and so poses a serious danger whilst driving; whereas snow can become mixed up with water to become slippy and sloshy. If you can avoid it, do not drive when there is snow on the road. Where this is unavoidable, make sure that you take extra care and keep a greater distance between you and the driver that is in front of you. Also drive at slower speeds and do brake harshly as this will cause you to skid and, in the process, lose all control.
Look Out For Potholes
A pothole is a depression in a stretch of road which is caused by subsidence and / or certain weather conditions. They posea real danger to those drivers who are not paying sufficient attention and go over one at speed. This is because it can cause a car to go out of control or even blow a tire. When and where you see a pothole in the road, you should do everything that you can to safely avoid going over it.
Do Not Drive If Drowsy
Driving whilst being tired is just as dangerous as driving whilst being drunk or under the influence of drugs. It is no surprise that the vast majority of car accidents that are caused through the driver being tired occur at night. If at any point you are driving and feel yourself falling to sleep, you should pull over and get some rest to the point that you feel awake and alert enough to carry on driving.
Avoid Road Rage
It is only normal to be angry or upset with the actions of another driver, especially when what they did almost resulted in a car accident. However, it is important not to let this consume you and affect how you drive yourself. By tailgating another driver or swerving in front of them through anger, you are actually putting both of you at risk of a car crash from happening – the very thing that you got angry about in the first place. If another driver is acting aggressively towards you, it is important to not acknowledge their actions and to remove yourself from the situation as soon as is safely possible.
Change Lanes Safely
When driving it is inevitable that you will need to change lanes at some point or other. When a driver changes lanes but does not do it in a way that is safe for the given situation, it can and often does, result in a car accident occurring. In order to stop this happening to you, make sure that you always use your turn signals and check in your blind spot before taking action and moving into another lane.
If you abide by all of these above rules for safe driving, you will be doing everything that you can to avoid being involved in a car accident.
