It feels like every day there is mention on the news of a fatal car accident that has claimed lives of drivers or badly injured passengers or pedestrians. If you want to stay safe on the roads, as well as avoid the financial worry that comes with an accident, it is important to do everything you can to use a safe vehicle, drive carefully, and be aware of your surroundings. Read on for some handy tips you can follow today to avoid an accident and keep yourself, and your family, pets, and others, safe from harm.
Common Reasons Accidents Happen and How to Avoid Them
There are lots of reasons why people have road accidents, but one that is becoming increasingly common is driver distraction. More and more people look away from the road in order to check their smartphones for texts, calls, emails, social media updates, and other notices. If you want to stay safe then, it is important to put your phone away when you’re driving. You also need to avoid other types of distracting things. This means no reading, make-up application, clothing changes, or music swaps.
Sadly, even though most people are aware of the dangers of driving when under the influence of drugs or alcohol, these factors are still one of the leading causes of accidents. As such, never hop behind the wheel if you have had more drinks than the limit permits, or if you have imbibed any drugs. These days there are usually always plenty of taxis and car services around that you can use instead, or you can opt to get a lift with a friend or family member, or just walk home.
Speeding and reckless driving are other common reasons why many people end up in accidents. To stay safer on the roads, you must stick to the speed limit and keep a close eye on road signs as you drive as this will alert you to changes to the permitted speed. This is particularly important in areas you don’t know well. Furthermore, don’t do reckless things like changing lanes quickly or tailgating, being aggressive, running red lights, merging lanes without looking or giving way, or going the wrong way down one-way roads.
Accidents are also regularly caused by faulty vehicles (e.g., those with defective steering, ignition switches, tires, airbags, or fuel tanks); as well as bad weather that makes conditions slippery or difficult to see, animal crossings, construction sites, other types of changes to driving conditions, or the roads themselves.
How to Ensure Your Car Is Safer
Since your car is such an important part of staying safe on the roads, you need to choose it carefully and look after it so that it is well-maintained. To start with, when selecting a vehicle, it pays to consider the size and weight of your options. Larger, heavier cars are usually able to afford more protection than smaller, lighter ones since there is more structure in the vehicle to absorb the impact of a crash.
Conduct research to find out whether the cars on your short list have a crashworthy design. The best choices are those with airbags; crumple zones to absorb the energy of crashes; and strong side panels, roofs, and occupant compartments (especially important if the vehicle rolls). Lots of newer cars also come with crash-avoidance technologies (think adaptive headlights, blind-spot detection, and auto-brake systems) which can make for safer driving.
Once you own a vehicle, it’s important to maintain it. Keep tires pumped up and change them when needed, and get your car serviced on a regular basis. As well, if you find out that a recall has been issued on your vehicle, get it seen by a mechanic or dealer ASAP so that any potential faults can be addressed straight away. You will not need to pay for repairs if a recall-based fault is found, as this is the responsibility of the manufacturer.
What to Do if You Are Involved in an Accident
If you’re ever involved in an accident, firstly you should turn on your vehicle’s hazard lights, ensure everyone involved is okay, and relocate to safety (such as the shoulder of the road or the sidewalk) if at all possible. Call 911 for an ambulance if anyone has been hurt. Keep in mind that not all injuries show up straight away, so if people seem unclear, groggy, or otherwise “off,” it is safer to have them checked out on the scene.
Police will likely be called out to inspect the site of the accident and speak with the drivers. You should exchange information with the other driver and any witnesses, take photographs of your car and the scene around the accident, and file a report with the police. Having the police involved can help you later on when you contact your insurance company, as well as if you or anyone else is injured and the legal action gets taken.
If the worst happens and you or one of your occupants is injured in a crash, you may want to consider getting representation to find out about making a claim for compensation. When selecting a personal injury attorney, always look for a person/firm specializing in the area.