Car accidents are traumatic and measures have to be taken to avoid these at all times. Some car accidents leave people paralyzed, depressed, anxious, and, in many cases, have caused a fatality.
If every motorist realizes that not only are they responsible for their lives, but of everyone else who is on the road as well, car accidents can be avoided for the most part. That being said, here are things you can do to avoid car accidents.
Study Available Accident Maps
Take a look at this car accident map for Walnut Creek CA, for instance. Such accident maps allow drivers to familiarize roads, corners, and places that are accident-prone based on the number of accidents reported in the areas. This information helps you to be aware and drive with caution when on the roads. Perhaps the roads have certain features such as sharp turns and curves that are unexpected to first-time users.
Having the foresight of the kinds of roads you travel equips you with the knowledge about the area, reducing the risk of having a car accident. You can share such maps with loved ones who haven’t traveled the roads yet, as well as those who are frequent drivers on the roads.
Sharing this information not only increases your safety on the roads but of those around you; preventing accidents is a collective method.
Service Your Car Regularly
You may follow all the road rules but you also have to make sure that your car is roadworthy at all times.
Here are some faulty features that can cause a car accident:
- Your brakes have worn off.
- Your horn no longer sounds as alarming as it should be.
- Your night lights are dim.
- Your rearview mirrors are no longer properly aligned.
Hence, make sure that you service your car regularly. Skipping these service sessions may put you and others at risk of a car accident.
Drive Sober
Sometimes, drivers believe that they’re in a sober state when they’re not, resulting in driving with a false sense of mental sharpness that’s needed for safe driving.
If you’re unsure of the legal alcohol limit, or your alcohol tolerance levels, it’s safer to avoid all alcoholic beverages until the time that you’re certain you don’t have to drive. As it may result in facing legal charges, alcohol is not worth causing accidents.
Phones Away
Our mobile phones are everyday features that have become a part of us. From social media to instant messages, phones are constantly vibrating, demanding our attention.
When you’re driving, avoid getting distracted by your phone. The few seconds that you take your eyes off the road to read and reply to a message are the few seconds needed for a car accident to happen.
If you can’t use the hands-free feature of a car to take a phone call, pull over, and attend to whoever needs the attention on the other line. Messages can always be attended to when you have reached the destination. If not, you’re better off pulling over to respond.
Rest
Nodding off on the wheel for a second is long enough to cause a car accident. You can encroach in oncoming traffic and result in a head-on collision. You may also swerve off the road and hit a tree or run over pedestrians for example. Thus, make sure to drive only if you’re rested.
Road trips tend to make drivers continue to drive with the ambition of reaching a certain destination. If no one can take turns driving with you, it’s advisable to find a safe parking area and take a rest. You can continue on your journey when you feel more rejuvenated.
Follow The Legal Speed Limits
Every road has a legal speed limit sign that must be adhered to. Moving too slow or too fast depending on the speed limit can cause accidents.
Other roads may have features to make sure that you stay in the limit, such as speed humps, road grids, and road spikes. Some drivers are sometimes tempted to veer off the road to avoid these, thereby causing accidents. Make sure to stay in your lane and follow the limit at all times.
Conclusion
There are many precautions that you can take to avoid car accidents. These include familiarizing yourself with accident maps, driving while sober, leaving your phone unattended to until you have parked, making sure you’re rested, and regularly servicing your car.
These are simple methods that are required to ensure safe driving. Make sure to share such information with your loved ones.