How to avoid car accidents.
Whether it’s winter or summer you should always be careful behind the wheel. It is so sad and unpleasant to have experienced a car crash. You, yourself, probably know a person or two, who’s got into a trouble of this kind. Of course, nobody is crashing their cars on purpose, duh! That’s why it’s called an accident. But, there are some things we can learn from mistakes of others, which can help us to avoid unnecessary problems on the road.
Here are some strategies to steer safely:
Do not drink and drive. Yes, it’s Christmas and all, but did you know that drunk-driving fatalities are 7-10% higher during winter holidays? So celebrate, but be smart;
If you are sleepy - stop! Take a coffee brake or open a window - fresh (or cold) air can help keep you alert, or just have a quick nap;
Get distractions out of the way and focus on the road ahead. Calling, text messaging and playing with the radio are the reasons for up to 78% of all car accidents. Keep your little doggies buckled up in the car to avoid them jumping down to brake and gas pedals. Do not pick things up of the floor and so on;
Do not follow too closely to avoid rear-end accidents;
Leave your troubles “outside the car”. If a day was tough or some jerk cuts you off - take a deep breath and stay on guard instead of speeding and aggressive lane changes (hello, blind spots!);
Drive slowly when raining or snowing. Avoid sliding or flipping your car over by braking smoothly (especially on a high speed) before the turn;
Do not slam on gas as soon as the light turns green - watch out for pedestrians trying to make it through on a yellow light or cars running through intersection at the end of your red light (sometimes on your green light on a very high speed!);
Play a racecar driver - no, I do not mean start street-racing. But we can certainly learn the better control of the vehicle from them: keep your hands in the 9 and 3 o’clock position and move your car seat closer to the steering wheel, so that your wrists are on the top of the wheel, arms are outstretched and your back is against the seat;
Take your car in for a tune-up. Also know what your car can really do. Do not drive a minivan, like it’s a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, where the traction control almost completely prevents wheel slide, and goes from 0 to 60 miles per hour in only 3,7 seconds (just FYI!).
Very often we know the right way to go or the right thing to do, but not always follow it (shame on us!). Be responsible on the road. Having accidents, whether it’s your fault or not, may increase the rates of your car insurance. Take a defense driving course if you are just learning to drive or to sharpen your driving skills. By the way, this can help reduce the number of points on your license or even get a discount from your auto insurance company.
Be safe and good luck!
