If you have been driving for a while now, you know that you can do everything right and still be involved in an accident, whether it is your fault or not, accidents happen.
Whilst they can be incredibly jarring and cause your car insurance premium to go up, there are some ways in which you can modify your driving to avoid car accidents as much as possible and keep yourself as well as other drivers safe when you take to the roads.
In today’s article, we will discuss the type of auto accidents that can happen and how they can be avoided so that you are not on the receiving end of a bad car crash, or heaven forbid any fatal crashes.
Why do People Get into Car Accidents?
Every single person on the road has taken their driving test and they have been deemed fit enough to be a safe driver.
So why do people get into car accidents when they have shown that they are capable drivers on the road?
It can be down to quite a few things really, for instance, someone may get into a car accident because they are going over the speed limit for a particular area, or they are using their cell phone as they are driving.
They know that they should not be doing or using these things, but many people believe themselves to be the exception, and because they are ‘normally’ careful then they think that they will be fine. Such overconfidence can be dangerous for other drivers as well; all it takes is one distracted driving maneuver and they can find themselves being part of an auto accident. Granted, any damages to physical health or property can be compensated with the help of a car accident lawyer (https://www.warfornash.com/nashville-car-accident-lawyer) and proper insurance, however, this does not make road accidents any less dangerous for either party.
Despite these warnings, there is still someone (quite a few someones) who will go out for a drive without their seat belt on or change lanes without looking, or, and this is the most reckless driving problem, go out drunk driving.
Why Make a Change?
It may seem like a lost cause, but if you keep learning how to be better on the roads, even if it is just you, you still have a better chance of saving yourself from reckless drivers and you could save someone else in the process.
What Causes Road Accidents & How to Avoid Them
If you want to avoid accidents when you get on the road, then you are going to need to make sure that you are following the right rules and codes for the road.
Even if you do get into an accident, your quick thinking and observations could mean that any car crashes you get into are not as serious as they could be.
Aggressive Drivers
In the time that you are on the road, you will come across reckless drivers who think that they have the right of way all the time. They will ignore speed limits and get too close to the car ahead (tailgating), which can potentially cause a serious accident, especially if there is bad weather like heavy rain or snow.
The risk of sustaining injuries because of aggressive drivers is not restricted to car accidents. There are thousands of cases coming up each day that include car, motorcycle, truck, and even bicycle accident fatalities in Orange County, and other locations worldwide.
Aggressive drivers pose a safety risk to most on the road also because their reaction time tends to be slower too. This could mean you ending up smashing the back of their car or them smashing into the back of yours.
Should this ever occur, and you were not at fault, you may want to get help from someone like these Schaumburg auto accident lawyers, and claim compensation for any injuries sustained as a result of the accident.
How To Avoid An Accident
To prevent this from happening to you, you need to take on the defensive driving technique to ensure that you are looking out for yourself so you don’t get caught in their crosshairs.
Notice if they are acting aggressively and try and see if you can switch lanes or hang back from their sightline. Don’t take any chances at overtaking if you think they could speed up, and always look around to see what your actions could do to other drivers.
Speeding
Everyone has done it at some point in their time on the road, quite a few times people may not realize that they have gone over the speed limit by a few MPH, but others know that they are speeding and will still take that chance, despite the fact at any moment they could hit someone or another car they didn’t see because they were going too fast.
How To Avoid An Accident
To put it simply, if you want to avoid accidents, you need to slow down when you’re driving too fast.
Speeding reduces your reaction time and puts both you and others in danger. Especially in areas with a lot of parked cars on the side of the road, you might not notice someone stepping out from between them.
Thinking that you’ll be okay and that you’ve done it before is risky. Eventually, luck can run out, and it’s not worth it. Stick to the speed limit or even go a bit slower to make sure you don’t accidentally go over the limit without realizing it.
Despite taking precautions, accidents might still happen due to the carelessness of other drivers. In many cases, this could involve a truck, as they often drive at high speeds. If you find yourself in such a situation, it’s important to reach out to a lawyer who tends to help victims and their families following a truck crash. They can assist you file a case against the responsible party and get the compensation you deserve.
Bad Weather
Rainy seasons can bring with them a lot of issues on the road, as can heavy winters with snow, ice, and sleet.
If you are driving and it starts to rain or the ground is slick, you will notice that you don’t have much traction on your tires, this means that if you want to break, your car will take a bit longer to come to a complete stop compared to dry weather conditions.
How To Avoid An Accident
If you don’t want to end up sliding under a truck or into a barrier when it is wet out, you need to keep your distance from the car in front of you.
You should double your distance for rainy weather, for instance, if you need to keep two seconds between you and the car in front on dry days, that has to double to four seconds, to factor in longer stopping time.
You will be able to maintain control better when you are more vigilant about driving in this type of weather, plus, by driving cautiously you will also keep your car in good condition as harsh breaking constantly will wear it out.
Drug/Drunk Driving
It should be obvious that you should not be under the influence of any drugs that will impair your ability to drive safely or drink and drive as a drunk driver and their reaction times are a lot slower.
Not having a clear mind when getting behind the wheel can be fatal, and no matter if you feel fine, you are not. These substances can make you feel a lot more confident which can be your downfall.
How To Avoid An Accident
If you want to avoid getting into a bad accident, it is simple – do not under any circumstances get in your car and drive.
No matter how you feel, even if you think that you will be able to do it as long as you drive slowly and stick to the backstreets, you are putting everyone who is on the same road as you at risk.
Take a taxi or an uber. If public transportation is available then take that, or ask a friend or family member who hasn’t been drinking to come and pick you up. The next day, or when you are fully sober, you can go pick up your car or send a family member to pick it up.
Running Stop Signs/Red Lights
Stop signs and red lights are there for a reason, people have to abide by the law and not move off until the right number of seconds have passed (stop sign), or the light turns fully green.
Failing to do so may end up in an accident, especially if there is another car racing to get through before it turns red for them or you pull out after you have waited by the stop sign.
How To Avoid An Accident
It is self-explanatory, but always stop at a stop sign and never take that chance to run a red light as you could be looking at a head-on collision with another car.
Wait the appropriate amount of time and slowly bring your car out as you move away. If you notice a car looking like it is not going to stop, then look behind and see if you can reverse back slightly if there are no cars there.
If you are unable to then just stop your car and don’t try and speed up to get into the new lane, as this could cause a crash if they are not quick enough on the brake pedal, at least this way they may be able to move around you if there is enough room.
With a red light, you know to remain there until it turns green, some cars will chance going through a light just before it turns red on the other side, so if you are vigilant you will see if this might happen so you can make the best decision at that moment.
Conclusion
Now that you have read through how to prevent accidents on the road, you should be more aware of what to look out for and how you can do your part for road safety.
This is important because you don’t know when or if you will meet with an accident, or how bad it can be. It is crucial that you pay attention to what is going on when you are driving and always check your mirrors to see what is happening behind you.
You have to be present and in the moment to keep yourself and others safe.
