Safe Driving Tips for Motorists
I’m Ed Smith, a Fair Oaks car accident lawyer. This is a busy time of the year, and haste can lead to car accidents. Aside from slowing down, there are things you can do to stay safe on the roads.
Car Accidents
More than 40,000 people were killed in car accidents in 2016, according to the National Safety Council. This is a 14-percent increase from 2014. Injuries from motor vehicle accidents rose also to a 2016 total of 4.6 million. Aside from the emotional and physical toll this takes, the total cost of property damage, physical injury, lost wages and funeral costs was $432.5 billion.
Drivers Are Interested in Safety
In light of the harrowing statistics, a survey presented by the NSC showed that about 83 percent of drivers are concerned about safety. The survey was taken by 2,000 individuals. The respondents live in the United States, are 21 years of age or older and drive a minimum of 15 minutes each day, excluding weekends. The survey was taken at the end of January 2017.
- The greatest number spent more than one-half hour to an hour on the road on weekdays. Thirty-six percent thought driving was a major cause for concern for safety, exceeding gun violence and natural disasters. Seventy-eight percent said drunk drivers merited the greatest concern, followed by distracted, drugged and aggressive drivers.
- 18 percent of respondents said that they were in a car accident in the past 36 months. More than half said property damage was a result of the crash. Thirty-seven percent suffered minor injuries and 11 percent more serious ones.
- 10 percent said they drove drunk in the past 3 months. Of these, 47 percent said they almost had an accident, and 45 percent were cited by law enforcement. Forty-eight percent said they fell asleep or drove off the road or into a median.
- The respondents were split on what penalties or restrictions could be placed on drivers to lessen the danger.
Tips to Stay Safe
The following are ways drivers can stay safe:
- Check your vehicle before leaving. Make sure tires are properly inflated, and warning lights are off.
- Don’t drive if you are fatigued.
- Position your seat so you are comfortable and can respond easily to dangers. Fix your mirrors so you can visualize traffic around you.
- Drive with both hands on the wheel. Ideally, place one hand at two o’clock and the other at ten o’clock.
- Make sure your car is checked to see if tires and brakes are in good condition. Check to make sure you do not have defective auto parts.
- Watch traffic on both sides and in front of your vehicle.
- If you can’t see the road using your mirrors, turn and look.
- Become one with your vehicle. Learn how much effort is needed to maneuver it. Never push it beyond its capabilities. You can easily look up such items as the stopping distance.
- Stay away from the fast lane unless you are passing. By using the right lane, you are more able to get out of the way of an obstacle or impending crash.
- Never tailgate.
- Don’t speed. It is not just about staying at the speed limit but also slowing down if there is bad weather.
- Be particularly careful at night.
- If the weather is bad, take extra care, and give yourself more time to get where you are going.
- Watch out for bicyclists or pedestrians.
- Keep an eye out for motorcyclists too. They are difficult to see.
- If a driver is expressing aggressive behavior, give him or her plenty of room.
- Always look left, right, left when turning.
- Never speed through a red light or speed up on a yellow one.
Related webpages by Ed Smith, Car Accident Lawyer in Fairfield:
Fair Oaks Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Fair Oaks car accident lawyer. Despite all precautions, car accidents still happen. When they do, you can lose a loved one or be injured yourself. If that happens, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for friendly and free advice. You can also contact me online, if you’d rather.
I have assisted those in Fair Oaks with traumatic injuries as their injury lawyer. I’ve worked to make sure clients received the highest compensation possible for wrongful death, traumatic brain injury and other catastrophic injuries.
I am a member of a forum that includes only those trial attorneys who have won a minimum of $1 million in settlements and verdicts. Look at their website at milliondollaradvocates.com.
You can look to see what my peers and former clients think of me and my legal practice by reading reviews on Google, Avvo and Yelp. Also, go to my verdicts and settlements page to see how I resolved other cases.
You might enjoy perusing other topics on AutoAccident.com, the website I own and founded.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/driving-car-navigation-speed-2732934/
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