For most of us, driving a car is second nature. We hop in, buckle our seat belts and take off toward our destination. While driving a car is a highly convenient method of travel, it can also be very dangerous. Special care needs to be taken whenever we get behind the wheel to ensure safety. We must do everything possible to prevent a potential accident from occurring.
Getting into a car accident is an enormous risk. Even minor accidents can be a lot of hassle, requiring legal documentation and compensation claims. You will likely need to contact a personal injury lawyer after a car accident for assistance. However, the best way to avoid this ordeal is to never get into a car accident in the first place.
As a driver, there are several activities to maximize our safety and prevent an accident. Here is how to never get into a car accident:
1. Inspect your car tires
Your tires are what connect your vehicle to the road. The condition of your tires will determine how well your car handles and can help prevent an accident from occurring. Ensuring that you have good tread on your tires will give you good traction, especially in poor weather like rain and snow. When your tread is worn down, you may not stop as quickly and may not be able to control your car if road surfaces are slippery.
The amount of air in your tire can also affect how well your car performs. Air pressure can fluctuate, especially as the temperature changes. Tires that aren’t inflated enough won’t grip the road properly, and overinflated tires are more prone to damage.
2. Check your car lights
Your head and tail lights are essential for keeping you safe while driving. They illuminate the road ahead of you, helping you see. Plus, they make you visible to other drivers. Check all of your lights, including your brake and signal lights, before driving. This will ensure that you can see everything going on around you, and everyone around you can see you.
3. Always signal
Your signal lights are your way of communicating with other drivers. Signalling your intentions lets everyone else on the road know where you intend to go. It allows others to slow down and make room for you to change lanes or turn corners. You can help avoid dangerous situations and potential accidents by telling others where you are going.
4. Brake early
Braking early gives you the chance to slow your vehicle down and leaves plenty of room between you and the car ahead of you. Many accidents happen because people don’t stop soon enough, causing them to rear-end the vehicle in front. By using your brake pedal early enough, you can always ensure you have more than enough room to come to a complete stop.
5. Avoid driving in dangerous weather
A large percentage of accidents occur during bad weather. Rain and snow can cause slippery road conditions that make it difficult to control your vehicle. Whenever possible, avoid driving in these conditions. This is one excellent way to completely avoid an accident and remain safe at home.
6. Follow the speed limit
Speed limits were created for a reason – to keep you safe. Driving too quickly puts you and other drivers at risk of an accident. The faster you drive, the more difficult it becomes to control your vehicle. It takes much longer to stop and requires extra-fast reflexes to make spur-of-the-moment decisions. When you slow down and follow the suggested speed, you will avoid getting a speeding ticket, keeping yourself and your passengers much safer.
7. Don’t follow other cars too closely
Tailgating happens when you follow too closely behind the car in front of you. When you do this, you don’t give yourself enough time to stop in the event of an emergency. Always keep at least a two-second distance behind the car ahead. This gap will ensure that you have enough time to stop suddenly and help you avoid a rear-end situation.
8. Use your car horn
The horn is an excellent safety feature, and fortunately, every car comes equipped with one. Using your horn gives you a great opportunity to communicate with other drivers and pedestrians and can be used to alert others to your presence. Any time you find yourself in a situation where you may not be visible to others, cover your horn and get ready to use it. Cars changing lanes, backing out of parking spaces, or turning corners with poor visibility can quickly be alerted with the beep of your horn.
Suffering a car accident can be a traumatic experience. It can cause a significant amount of damage to your car, but it can also cause a great deal of injury to both yourself and your passengers. Keeping up on the maintenance of your vehicle, practicing safe driving habits, and avoiding unsafe driving conditions, can all go a long way towards preventing an accident from happening in the first place. By taking extra care and caution when getting behind the wheel, you can ensure that you have done everything to stay as safe as possible.