Safety must be your priority when behind the wheel of a car. Each year, there are thousands of fatal accidents that happen all across the nation. All it takes is one reckless car driver to ruin the lives of one or many, simply because they disregarded the importance of safety for themselves and others. As a car accident lawyer explains, if more drivers remembered that the road is a shared experience and not to be dominated, it could be a more cooperative place where people don’t get hurt.
Drive without distractions.
Whether you are taking a short trip or have to travel long ways to get where you need to be, never drive distractedly. It only takes a fraction of a second to miss what is ahead of you, potentially causing an accident. If you need to text, make a phone call, check your email, or something else, pull over and take a moment to do so. Avoid anything that removes your full attention from the road, even for a second or two. The most common reason car accidents happen is from distracted driving.
Be mindful of blind spots.
Before taking off for your drive, adjust your mirrors to ensure you can see all areas around your vehicle. But do not rely solely on mirrors, turn your head to look before changing lanes or other maneuvers, to check that a car is not within your blind spot. Keep in mind that commercial trucks, like semis, have expansive blind spots, and cannot see you unless you can see them in their side mirrors. Even with that, don’t assume a truck driver has seen you.
Perform maintenance regularly.
Be familiar with your car and its status. Do you need air in your tires? Have you gotten an oil change recently? Are there alert buttons that have popped up on your dashboard, meaning maintenance needs to be done? Keep track of dates, such as when you last got fluid changes, new tires, new brakes, etc. Your vehicle will do better if kept in proper condition and will be safer because you have taken care of it as you should.
Use caution at dusk and nighttime.
Drivers can already be unpredictable during the day, but they can be even more reckless at night. In the evening you are more likely to deal with people who are intoxicated or stressed out from their workday. Your vision is also not as good at dusk due to the reflection of the sun going down, and at night it can generally be more difficult to see what is around you. Be alert to sudden maneuvers from drunk or impatient drivers and try to stay out of their way as best you can.
Unfortunately, the roadways across the states have become dangerous because not all drivers are careless when they get behind the wheel. If more drivers stayed aware and patient, it could save the lives of countless people. Before going on your next drive, consider the prevention tips provided here. And if you do find yourself involved in a serious wreck that wasn’t your fault, you could contact a law firm, such as Norris Injury Law, about how to hold the offending driver responsible for your injuries, losses, and damages.