How to Avoid Accidents While Driving

Our cars are supposed to be safe and comfortable spaces for us to get from point A to point B. Unfortunately, small mistakes can add up into an extremely unsafe–and even deadly–occurrence. There’s no guarantee that everyone else on the road will drive as safely and mindfully as you, but there are a few ways to ensure that you’re able to create a safe drive for yourself.

Drive Defensively

The best way to avoid needing a car accident lawyer is to drive defensively. The root of defensive driving is treating the road as though everyone else on it is a hazard. That doesn’t mean swerving away from every single vehicle, but instead that you pay close attention to what those around you are doing. If you are at the front of the line at the red light, take a moment to check traffic from the other light is wholly stopped before driving forward when it turns green.

Pay attention to hazardous driving, like someone swerving all over the road, and use your mirrors to ensure you aren’t caught off guard by anyone speeding past you.

Don’t try to race through yellow lights or quickly cut through lines of cars; these actions may save you a couple of seconds or minutes–but you’re risking your life by doing them.

Keep Distractions Down

Although we all know texting and driving is terrible, many drivers are seen doing it every day. Whether they’re glancing at Twitter to check up on politics or watching a football game that they couldn’t make it home, for people have their eyes glued to their screens. This plan is so beyond dangerous while driving. If you’re going 60 miles an hour in the space of six seconds, you could cover 528 feet. That distance is enough to rear-end a car, hit a pedestrian, or miss a curve and go off the road into a gulch. People need to keep their phones away. If you need navigation, set it up so that it reads it out to you instead, or even ask someone else in the car to keep an eye on it. Reading a funny text isn’t worth losing your life.

Pay Attention To The Road Itself

There are road hazards unique to nearly every state. In Southern Texas, there are floods and water surges at least twice a month in the summer, while in Maine, it’s not uncommon to have to deal with black ice on the roads during six months of the year. Get to know the hazards of the area you live in, and pay attention to when you’re at the highest risk. It’s essential to learn how to turn with a hard swerve if you’re sliding on ice or avoiding any flooded streets if you’re not familiar with their depth. Don’t be afraid of taking detours or possibly taking longer than you expected when you left- spending a couple of extra minutes to ensure your safety could be all it takes to prevent injury or loss of life.