Most of us feel no trepidation as we get into our cars every day to drive off to work. On the other hand, many are afraid to board a plane.
That should actually sound a little odd to you, considering that statistics show that riding in a car is significantly more dangerous than flying in an airplane. In fact, the only reason getting in your car every day probably does not seem dangerous is because it’s such a well-established habit. Try to remember back to when you were first learning how to drive, and you may recall that there were quite a few dangers to keep in mind.
Luckily, there are ways to reduce your risk of getting in a deadly car accident; it simply requires a little knowledge and a little willingness to make some changes in your driving habits. Here are some tips for increasing your chance of having another uneventful day of driving, which is always the ideal.
Avoid distractions like they’re the Plague. Some distractions – like texting on a cell phone while driving – require you to take your eyes off the road, and they’re obviously dangerous. But it’s also important to be on the safeguard for all sorts of distractions. For example, when you swivel your neck to look at an attraction on the side of the road, you take your eyes off of what is directly in front of you. If the car in front of you were to suddenly stop, you’d find yourself in a fender-bender. On the highway, the risk of distraction is even more severe. So, keep your hands on the wheel and your mind and eyes on the road at all times.
Drive carefully in dangerous weather. Ice and sleet may not be enough to stop the US Postal Service, but it should be enough for you to consider how you are driving and amp up the caution. Ice and other forms of water can make driving on the road incredibly dangerous, especially when you consider “black ice” – ice that is hard to see. So drive in difficult weather as if you may lose control of your vehicle at any time because the reality is that you just might.
Give yourself an escape. Let’s say you’re driving in the fast (left) lane of a highway and there’s a semi on the road next to you. If you needed to swerve – say, to avoid a car coming the opposite way that has crossed the median – you would have nowhere to go. That’s why it’s important to maintain an awareness of all traffic and environmental factors around you. If you do that, you can get in the habit of staying in cautious, open positions that will reduce your risk of accident.
Use extra caution at night. Yes, cars have lights, but this is only a partial solution to a much bigger problem. You can’t really see well at night no matter what your eye doctor told you about the quality of your vision. Animals crossing the street and people along the side of the road who aren’t wearing reflective clothing can make your trip to the gas station much more perilous than you might imagine, so keep your eyes peeled at night.
Jon Reiter is a marketing agent for http://hulenlaw.com/, experienced Denver car accident lawyers.
Beware: Prevent Deadly Car Accidents
