When you’re driving, you likely take all of the precautions needed to avoid being in a car accident. These could include staying in your lane on the road, paying attention, and not following other vehicles too close. Here are a few other ways that you can avoid an accident and how you can get legal assistance if you find yourself in the situation.
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Drive Slow
Although you might be tempted to reach your destination in a short time, you want to use caution while on the road. When you’re pulling into traffic, especially at a stoplight, you want to take your time to check to make sure there is nothing coming.
If another driver does run a light or a stop sign and hits your car, you can contact a car accident lawyer to talk about any compensation for injuries or lost wages due to missing work that you might be able to receive.
One way that you can watch for drivers who might run red lights is to count to three before making a turn or driving straight through to give yourself time to make sure there is nothing coming in either direction.
Steering Wheel
Driving with one hand on the steering wheel might be a task that you can accomplish, but it’s important to try to keep both hands on the wheel so that you have full control of your vehicle. Try not to hold drinks or food in one hand while driving.
A car accident lawyer can offer assistance if there is another party involved who might not have been paying attention while driving, resulting in injuries or damage to your car that would need to be rectified.
Attention to Surroundings
Whether you’re driving in a busy city with lights on every corner or on the interstate where you can travel at a high rate of speed, you need to be cautious of your surroundings. Pay attention to people who might be walking on sidewalks.
You should also pay attention to the sides of any road as animals can quickly dart across with little to no warning. If you’re driving at night, try to keep your high beams on unless there are other cars on the road, especially those you’re meeting going the opposite direction.
Maintenance
Take your car to a mechanic on a regular basis to ensure that your vehicle is maintained. Check your tires to see if there are any that might not have as much pressure as the others. Make sure your lights work and that there are no issues that could result in your vehicle stalling while you’re driving, which could lead to another vehicle hitting yours.
Tailgating
Although this might sound like a fun adventure during football season, you want to avoid tailgating when you’re driving. If someone has to quickly stop in front of you, it might not be a good outcome if you’re tailgating the person’s car.
If you do hit the other car, then you could be held responsible for the accident due to following the vehicle too close. About three seconds is usually a good distance to keep between your vehicle and the one in front of you to prevent tailgating, decreasing the chances of being in an accident.
Courtesy
Try to be courteous to other drivers when you’re on the road. If you see that someone might need to get around you, then try to let them instead of taking up the entire lane or pulling out in front of that person.
If you’re nice to other people, even when you’re in your car, then you’ll usually see that everyone can share the road together with fewer accidents.
