How Can You Avoid Car Accidents?
Sometimes car accidents are truly unavoidable, but then again, sometimes they’re entirely avoidable. Follow these tips to keep you and your passengers safe.
Minimize distractions
Radio
We all love our tunes while driving. We aren’t saying you can’t enjoy that song that pumps you up on the way to work or the podcast that helps you unwind on the way home. And we all know the right soundtrack can make or break a road trip. But keep it at a reasonable volume, and make sure to select a station or playlist you won’t be tempted to fiddle with while driving.
Put your phone away.
Don’t text and drive. Don’t text and drive. Don’t text and drive.
Reading or sending a single text takes your eyes off of the road for 5 seconds. Does that seem like a lot? Well, at just 55 mph, it would be like driving the length of a football field without looking at the road. Considering most interstate speed limits are at least 65 mph, it shouldn’t be hard to understand how even a simple text message could be a fatal mistake while driving.
Don’t do it. Just don’t.
Passengers
Okay, so utter silence might be asking for a little much. Just make sure any kids in the car understand to use “indoor” voices and not to act too rowdy. Ideally, your adult passengers won’t need to hear the same lecture, but hey, you know your friends better than we do.
Take care of your car
Keep it healthy
Having your brakes and tires checked regularly could be the difference between a close call and a collision. Routine oil changes could be the difference between successfully accelerating out of harm’s way and stalling out on the interstate. Issues with the steering system could be the difference between swerving out of the way and running off of the road.
Take care of your car so it can take care of you!
Keep it clean
Smudges, dirt and debris, and build up from bugs and bird droppings on your windshield, windows, and mirrors aren’t just gross, they’re also dangerous. Keep your car clear of smudges and debris to make sure you have a clear, full range of vision around your car.
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Be nice to people
Would you race your coworkers to the bathroom?
Would you walk obnoxiously close to people who aren’t walking as fast as you’d like them to?
Would you trip runners who want to go faster than you?
No, you wouldn’t be that mean in person (we hope), so don’t do it on the road.
Don’t tailgate slower drivers. One day you might end up with your car in their backseat. On that note, don’t brake check people who are tailgating you. You don’t want their car in your backseat.
Take your time at intersections. Being the first to go gets you nowhere if you’re just the first car at the scene of the crash.
So, be nice to people, even (especially?) on the road.
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