Arts & Culture Law

6 Tips on How to Prevent Traffic Accidents

June 1, 2021

Traffic accidents are one of the foremost causes of death and serious injuries. This makes it all the more important to consider all the ways a person can prevent them from happening. Here are six tips on how to do so, where some of them might not be well known to a larger audience, making them more important to know.

Be Prepared Before You Leave

Preventing traffic accidents starts long before you’ve gotten in your car. Simply put, if you plan appropriately for your trip, you can ensure that you avoid some common pitfalls. Firstly, plan your route ahead of time, and always have navigation on hand. Next, allow yourself plenty of time to travel so you’re not rushed to reach your destination and to have time for possible delays. It’s also very important to inspect your car before you hit the road and to have routine maintenance performed before you leave towns such as tire rotations, fluid refills, oil changes, and tune-ups.

Limit Distracted Driving

This tip on how to prevent traffic accidents can help drivers and passengers remain safe because it will effectively work towards preventing traffic accidents. The leading cause of traffic accidents is not drunk driving, or running a red light as many people think – it’s distracted driving.  Many things fall under distracted driving which accounts for almost anything that takes your attention off the road. Some of the most common aspects are being on a cell phone, texting, and even changing songs. Other distractions include eating food, picking up items that fell on the floor, and assisting kids in the backseat.

Common Sense Goes a Long Way

Even though many will argue that advice to “have common sense” on the road fails to deliver the message, it’s all the more important to review it because well, many people act as if they have none on the road. Moreover, as a car accident attorney in North Myrtle Beach suggests, some of the aspects that all drivers need to pay attention to either before they hit the road, or when they are driving are to have proper vehicle maintenance, to pull into traffic slowly, to look when reversing and most importantly to watch for children and animals. Last but not least, a seatbelt should be worn at all times because it can save your life if you happen to end up in an accident.

Mind the Speed Limit

Another very important tip on how to prevent traffic accidents is to mind the speed limit. The sole purpose of speed limits is quite simple – to prevent traffic accidents. Exceeding the said speed limit will significantly increase the chances of an accident. Exceeding the limit will not only consume more gas, but it will put the lives of others in danger including the life of the driver, the passengers, and other pedestrians and car drivers. Furthermore, if the car is going faster than it’s recommended, the driver will have less reaction time to avoid collisions and rollovers.

Opt for a Safe Vehicle

Preventing traffic accidents has a lot to do with getting a safer vehicle before you even consider driving. If someone is in the position of being able to choose the vehicle they will use, it’s advised to look for one with high safety ratings. Some of the key pointers here are to avoid small cars, sport utility vehicles, and trucks. In addition to this, it’s important to note that SUVs have a high chance of rollover accidents (apart from the Tesla SUV), which are the leading cause of death in traffic accidents.

Be Alert for Red Light Runners

Last but not least, tips on how to prevent traffic accidents have much to do with minding the reckless behavior of other traffic participants. The perfect advice here is to count to three before entering any intersections on a green light. In addition to this, you should look both ways and you should also ensure that no one is trying to speed through a yellow light. It’s also highly advisable to exercise caution whenever passing semis because truck drivers have a large blind spot on their right-hand side. Be especially careful when driving next to any larger vehicle, especially an 18-wheeler, and remember – if you can’t see the truck’s side mirrors, the truck driver cannot see you either.

Traffic accidents are, as we’ve previously mentioned, a leading cause of severe injuries and even death. Much of the traffic accidents happen due to someone else’s negligence which is exactly what these six tips can help prevent if practiced correctly. If you’ve been in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence it’s important to note that you’re entitled to compensation, which a personal injury lawyer can help you achieve.

About the author

Jamie Moses

Jamie Moses founded Artvoice in 1990

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