What to Do If You Get in an Auto Accident
A car accident can have devastating effects. It can result in a loss of income, benefits and significant out-of-pocket expenses.
You can aid yourself and others by staying safe if you are the victim of a car accident or witness to one.
Avoid distractions
Distracted driving can have a serious impact on your safety as well as the safety of others. Eating, texting, or grooming are among the most common distractions.
Distracted drivers can cause serious injuries or even death to the people in their vicinity. This is due to distracted driving that can cause drivers to overlook dangers and unexpected complications that are in front of them or to overlook important road warning signs.
Distractions could be anything that diverts a driver's attention from the road which causes them to lose control. They could be visual or cognitive, and each comes with distinct characteristics.
Visual distractions are those that take a driver's eyes off the road, like using a GPS, looking at a billboard or rubbernecking into an accident. This can be very dangerous, especially when the driver is driving at highway speeds or when they are driving by pedestrians or other vehicles.
Manual distractions can be harmful, especially when drivers aren't paying attention to the road and are unable to react quickly enough. Eating while driving changing the radio station, and reaching for something in the back of the car can be extremely distracting.
Cognitive distractions can be just as harmful as other distractions. They can include calling and singing, as well as thinking about an emotional situation. They can also be signs of drowsiness. This can make it difficult for drivers to stay focused on the road.
Set good boundaries and practice attentive drive to keep your eyes off the road. You can do this by establishing guidelines and modeling.
It's important to remember that everyone is at risk for being a distracted driver, and it's not just teens or drivers who are new. Even pets, older people and motorists who are drowsy are all distractions while driving.
If you have a loved one who is prone to distraction while driving, be sure to speak with them about the importance of keeping their attention to the road and how to avoid this happening. You can also advise your friend to switch off their phone and set it on "do-not-disturb" mode when they are driving.
Keep Your Distance
Maintaining an appropriate distance from the vehicle in front of you is among of the most important actions you can take to ensure your vehicle's safety. This will prevent an accident and protect the people around you from injury or even death.
There are a variety of ways to ensure you're following the correct distance while driving. One approach is to employ the 3-second rule, which is a an easy calculation that will assist you in determining whether you're following too closely.
The 3-second rule is based upon the fact that you need approximately three seconds to react when another vehicle abruptly brakes. If you are too close to the car ahead of you, it will be difficult to stop safely.
This is especially true for truck drivers who require plenty of space to stop safely at the traffic stop. Many accidents involving semis as well as large rigs are caused by drivers who fail to follow this rule of the road and could result in grave injuries or even deaths for everyone involved.
In addition to the three-second rule, you may also determine your distance following by finding an object fixed and calculating how long it takes you to arrive at the same place after the car ahead of you passes it. This can be accomplished by watching the car advance pass an overhead sign, a tree or other roadside markers.
Once best auto accident lawyers near me figured out how long it takes for your car to reach that spot when the other vehicle passes it, continue counting. Begin counting 1-1,000, 2-1,000 and then 31,000 until you reach a three-second gap between you and the vehicle in front.
If you're unable reach three seconds in a row then gradually increase your distance to follow until you do. It might require you to slow down to avoid a collision however, the effort worth it.
The most common rear-end collisions occur when drivers follow the vehicle in front of them too closely. You can avoid collisions by increasing your following distance.
Avoiding Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions rank as the most frequent auto accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rear-end collisions account to more than a third of all accidents and cause the death of 2,000 people each year in the United States.
While front-end collisions are much more deadly, rear-end collisions are still a significant cause for injuries and property damage. Rear-end collisions could also cause soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash.
These injuries can cause severe pain in the back, neck and shoulder regions. These injuries often require physical therapy, medical costs and lost wages to recover.
Keep your distance from other cars to avoid an accident. This means that you should follow behind them at the appropriate speed and never tailgating them.
You increase the risk of rear-end collisions when driving too close. This is because you won't have enough time to react to hazards like slower or stopped traffic. The National Safety Council recommends that drivers maintain a three-second minimum following distance, and larger vehicles even more.
Rear-end collisions can be particularly risky when weather or road conditions are hazardous. If you're driving through heavy snow or rain, for instance, you should increase your following distance.
Make sure to check your rear-view mirror frequently to avoid a rear-end collision. This depends on how busy the traffic is ahead of you. This will help you determine whether the driver in front of you is slowing down or applying the brakes.
Use your turn signals to switch lanes or pull out of a parking lot. This will help the driver behind you understand your vehicle and help prevent them from swerving out of lane to strike you.
Always keep children in the back of the vehicle when you are traveling with them. This will stop children from moving around in the vehicle or becoming disoriented and distracting while you are driving.
It is also a good idea to avoid using your phone when driving and avoid using it to distract yourself. Talking or texting on your phone can be a significant cause of rear-end collisions.
Keep Your Engine Running
The engine in your vehicle could be one of the most important components to you as a driver, but it can also be among the most frustrating parts. In the case of an accident, you may notice that the engine of your car won't start when you turn the key.
The issue isn't easy to fix or diagnose Therefore, you should bring your car in as soon when the light turns on. The lights will indicate if your car has problems in the areas of temperature, battery, alternator or in any other area.
If you're having trouble getting your car started after an accident it could be because of a tripped inertial control that cuts power to the vehicle's fuel pump. This is designed to prevent your vehicle from lighting on fire in the event of a collision but it can also cause damage to your engine if it gets shut off.
You might not be able to start your car after an accident because your vehicle's engine transmission has stopped functioning properly. In this scenario, you will have to talk to a mechanic in order to find out what caused the issue and then fix it.
Even if you own a healthy car, it is important to check the engine every once or twice to ensure that it is properly lubricated. This can be done by turning off the engine and letting it warm up for 30 minutes or for a few minutes.
This is the time to check all the belts, hoses and cleaners in your vehicle to ensure they're operating properly. This will increase your gas mileage and help keep your vehicle running smoothly.
This is also a great way to ensure that your tires are inflated properly. When your tires are properly inflated, they will ensure that they can be more stable on the road and reduce the chances of an accident involving a blowout of your tire or other damage.