A car accident can have a profound effect on your life for several reasons: it can leave you injured, without a car, and with several financial repercussions. While many accidents can’t be avoided, there are several tips you can follow to become a better driver and avoid behaviors that are commonly associated with car accidents.
- Do not tailgate. Leave at least a 3-second cushion between you and the car in front of you. Keeping a good distance from other cars gives you enough time to react, especially if you need to suddenly slam on the brakes.
- Get rid of distractions. This means putting away your cell phone, tablet, makeup or food and keeping your hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road. The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year.
- Keep your car maintained. Regularly check your car’s tires, oil, transmission, brake fluids, antifreeze, lights and electrical system. Faulty brakes or a tire blowout can lead to a serious car wreck.
- Keep yourself maintained. Your car shouldn’t be the only one in good shape. You, as the driver, must take care of yourself in order to think better and react faster when you’re behind the wheel. Getting enough sleep is one of the best ways to stay healthy.
- Don’t drink and drive. This is obviously a dangerous behavior, yet roughly 1.5 million people are arrested for driving under the influence each year in the U.S. If you plan on drinking, have a designated driver take you home or use a ride-sharing app such as Uber or Lyft.
- Prepare yourself for poor weather conditions. As confident as you may be, poor weather can be difficult to drive in. If you’re dealing with snow and ice, make sure your tires are chained properly. If it’s rain, keep a steady pace and distance from the closest car.
- Drive extra defensively at night. During later hours, you not only have to worry about the decreased field of vision, you also have drunk and sleepy drivers to be concerned about. Keep an eye out for what others are doing.
If you have been involved in a car accident, contact our Daytona Beach car accident lawyers at Politis & Matovina, P.A. today. Our firm has decades of collective legal experience to put in your corner for your car accident claim. To date, we’ve recovered over $200 million for our clients.
Begin a free case evaluation by calling (386) 333-6613 or contacting us online.