You’re out and about driving and you hear that dreaded sound… Crunch! Metal on metal scrunching up as you make contact with another vehicle. Everyone wants to avoid accidents. At best, they are an unpleasant occurrence, at worst, someone could end up losing their life. No matter the severity of the car accident, everyone would prefer not to have one happen. So let’s talk about some ways to be safe out on the road.
- Pay attention. Distractions are the number one cause of accidents. Your number one priority is to drive the piece of heavy machinery you are operating. So put down your phone, coffee, or whatever else you may be looking at, and focus on what you are doing, driving. Your car is a powerful, moving force that can hurt or kill someone, so treat it with respect and pay attention while you’re driving.
- Watch out for other drivers. You can never assume what others will do when they are driving. Never assume what another driver will do. It’s best to remain cautious and to keep your head on a swivel to look out for other drivers, because you don’t know when they are going to make a mistake.
- Maintain safe distances. A common type of accident is getting rear-ended. So it’s best to give everyone enough operating room. The recommended safe distance is to follow the three-second rule. Whenever the car in front of you has passed a certain fixed-point, like a telephone pole, you should count to three and that’s when you should be passing that same point of interest. This is the minimum safe distance. Allow for more space, for even safer driving. When you give more leeway, you have more time to react to sudden changes in front of you.
- Watch your speed. Make sure you follow the speed limit. Again, the slower you go, the more time you have to react to any changes that may occur in front of you. Plus, you get that added benefit of not receiving a speeding ticket and saving yourself some money.
- Follow the rules of the road. Remember to follow the rules and you’ll be less likely to get into an accident. Doing things like, being in the proper lane you need for turning, using your turn signals, changing lanes with enough assured distance between other cars, and avoiding driving too fast. If you are a careful driver and respectfully follow traffic signs and signals, then you are less likely to get into an accident.
Just remember to pay attention to your actions and others around you and you will be able to deflect avoidable accidents. If you do happen to find yourself in an accident, then give us a call at Oakdale Collision Center to get your car fixed up and safely back on the road.