A car accident can have long-term negative effects on your life. You could suffer a debilitating injury. Your finances can be wrecked due to mounting medical bills. Your car insurance could skyrocket to the point where you can no longer afford to maintain your vehicle. The loss of your vehicle could cause you to lose your job. With all of these negative consequences, it makes sense to do everything you can to avoid a car accident.
It’s true that some automobile accidents are unavoidable, but by following these 4 steps, you will ensure that the accident is not your fault.
- Maintain Your Vehicle, and Keep It In Good Driving Order
Maintaining your car extends the lifetime of your vehicle, but it also has the added effect of improving your chances of avoiding an accident. Always make sure your car’s tires and breaks are routinely serviced. It makes no difference if you spot a particular danger if your car cannot be counted on to stop or slow down. You should also make sure your engine is in working order. You do not want to be zipping down the interstate, surrounded by other drivers and have your engine suddenly stop working. There are also several add-ons for vehicles such as rear facing cameras, electronic stability control, and proximity sensors that can help you avoid an accident. - Make Sure You Are Ready to Drive
This means regularly having your eyes checked and receiving yearly physicals. Many accidents are caused by drivers having sudden medical problems while behind the wheel, and of course, if you cannot see, you cannot drive. Generally, healthy people think faster and more clearly than their less healthy counterparts do. Do your best to maintain your own health, as well as that of your vehicle, and never drive under the influence of alcohol or medication. - Avoid Distractions While Driving
Distracted driving causes more accidents than driving under the influence. That is why you should do your best to eliminate all distractions while driving. Put away your cell phone. Don’t eat and drive. Turn down the radio. Don’t discipline your children while cruising along at 70 MPH. All of these things should be done on the side of the road, a parking lot, or your destination. The only thing you should be doing while behind the wheel is focusing on the road. - Practice Defensive Driving
You likely learned defensive driving skills while taking driver’s education in High School, but like many of us, you may have let those skills rust over the years. If you have been driving for ten or twenty years, it is very easy to become complacent. It is time to refresh yourself on the keys to defensive driving and begin to pay close attention to your surroundings. Most accidents can be avoided if the driver just pays attention to what is going on.
Like I said, most accidents are avoidable and following these 4 steps will greatly decrease your chances of being involved in a car accident, but some accidents are unavoidable. If you have been the victim of an accident due to another’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation. Please fill out the FREE Car Accident Claim Evaluation form, and one of our attorneys will contact you shortly.