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Regardless of how skilled you think you are behind the wheel, an accident can happen to anyone at any time. Not only that, but the number of deaths caused by car accidents is one of the highest leading causes of death today. Besides causing death, a car accident is able to cause mental and physical injuries and financial loss. While these circumstances may be unavoidable, you can easily avoid these by following our 6 tips to help you avoid accidents on the road.
1. Avoid Alcohol If Planning To Drive
When you know that you will be having a few drinks, you should also make plans to have a designated driver. Whether this DD is a taxi or a friend, you will be doing yourself a big favor by having others take you home and reach home safely. This tip also needs to include if you plan to catch a ride with others who have also been drinking because it will be just as bad if an accident occurs whether you were driving or not.
2. Ensure Your Vehicle Is Properly Maintained
Your vehicle needs to be properly maintained and checked in order to prevent anything from happening mechanically. When maintained properly, it is able to remain in good condition. Your maintained vehicle can also keep you safe and avoid an accident when the parts are replaced and working properly. If your vehicle is not maintained properly, your brakes could fail and you could be held liable for any claims made against you.
3. Avoid Driving Tired
Any good California car accident lawyer will tell you that you should avoid driving tired. When you lack a good amount of sleep and you decide to drive, you can guarantee that an accident will take place. Not only that, but the yearly amount of accidents caused by lack of sleep are in the tens of thousands.
4. Consider The Weather
The weather can be a hazard for all drivers and you can easily get pulled over for driving too fast for conditions if you don’t end up in an accident first. To avoid any accident while driving in poor weather, it is best to drive below the speed limit and keep to the right. This is especially helpful when the weather is fog, snow, and heavy rain. It is important to always keep safety in mind.
In a fog, you will have difficulty having a clear vision ahead and at night the danger can double. Because of this, it is even more important to keep your headlights on low beams and keep a safe distance away from other vehicles. When rain or snow occur, the roads can become very slick and roads can easily collect standing water so if you are driving too fast, you can easily hydroplane out of control.
5. Maintain The Speed Limit
The reason for a posted speed limit is to ensure that all drivers remain safe while driving. Although you may feel in a hurry to get where you are going, it is never a good idea to go faster than you need to. You also need to avoid driving in the fast lane if you are not passing other vehicles. When you drive the speed limit, you can also slow down in time.
6. Concentrate On The Road
A lot of accidents occur when the driver is distracted and the number of accidents caused by this is constantly rising. Distracted driving can be more than just talking on the phone or texting. It can easily involve browsing social media or reading emails. Although these can be of concern, other distractions such as applying makeup, eating, and grooming can also cause a bad accident to occur.
Staying Safe On The Roads
When a driver does not remain safe on the road, they will ultimately be in an accident. However, when you are able to keep our tips in mind, you will be able to avoid any possible accident. If you do see yourself being in an accident, it is always important to get checked out by a doctor. Afterward, you should be in touch with a personal injury attorney to discuss your case.
