During 2020, less people were driving because more people were staying home during the day. Many people were able to save on gas by remotely working from home. Naturally, having less people on the road meant that there were less car accidents.
However, the following year in 2021, the number of fatalities reached a 16 year high in the United States with the number of fatalities increasing by 10 percent, and fatalities in multi-car crashes rose by 16 percent. Clearly, there is a problem in the United States. Here are some safety habits you can practice to help keep yourself and others safe on the road to avoid a car accident.
Place Your Phone Out of Sight
The number one cause of car accidents is distracted driving. Some car accidents are impossible to avoid, however, avoiding a car accident due to distracted driving is 100% avoidable. The main cause of distraction for drivers has become their cell phones. Texting while driving is an issue for sure, but now you will see people scrolling on social media and even taking photos or recording videos of themselves while driving. This is incredibly dangerous and yet completely avoidable.
The main way to break this habit is practice. Cell phones are addicting, so breaking the habit could be difficult. If you struggle with mindlessly picking up your phone to scroll, try putting your phone in the glove box, or in a purse or backpack behind your seat or even in the trunk. That way when the temptation to pick up your phone comes, you literally will not be able to.
Always Drive The Speed Limit
Sometimes we speed naturally without realizing it. Speeding can be very dangerous and could be the reason why an accident becomes fatal, especially on freeways. If you drive the freeway often, practice using cruise control to create a new habit of following the speed limit. This will make it so you never have to worry about a speeding ticket, or being the cause of a very dangerous situation.
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A lot of the times when we drive, our brain goes to autopilot, and we keep up the speed with the cars around us, but making a conscious effort to check our speed will help to avoid speeding.
Slow Down In The Rain and Snow
It can be incredibly frustrating when the people around us do not slow down in inclement weather, which often causes others to speed up to help those tailgating get off our backs. However, speeding in poor weather conditions is incredibly dangerous and raises the risk of accidents much more than speeding in regular weather. Planning to leave your house much earlier to plan for slower driving in the snow and rain is a great habit to get into, so that you do not risk the need to speed.
Check Your Blind Spot and Use Your Blinker
Merging without checking your blind spot is a quick way to get in a wreck. Make it a habit to always check your blind spot, as well as using your blinker whether you are on the freeway or a quiet road. Often when on a side street with not many people around, people assume that they are the only ones on the road, but sometimes a car can sneak up on you because they are hiding in your blind spot. Using your blinker will also help prevent road rage from those around you which is another cause of accidents.
Loganville, GA Car Accident Lawyer
Not every car accident warrants the need for a lawyer, but most accidents could benefit from one. If you are finding yourself in a car accident, you may want to consider hiring a Loganville, GA car accident lawyer to help with any damages and regaining compensation for any injuries. Oftentimes, injuries such as whiplash may not appear immediately, but can progress into bigger issues as time goes on, so calling as soon as you get in an accident will be the best.
