All car accidents cannot be avoided. Other drivers make mistakes, and they can easily hit you even if you have carefully followed all traffic laws.
That said, defensive driving can make an accident less likely. If you assume other drivers are going to make mistakes, that can help you react quickly. Below are six tips that can help you avoid some accidents.
- Stay out of the left-hand lane when possible. This is where reports show the majority of interstate accidents take place.
- Watch out for drivers who are distracted or who are not paying attention. If a driver seems to be swerving or drifting, stay far away.
- Watch out for cars that don’t appear to be taken care of properly. If a car is dirty, loud and looking like it’s on the verge of breaking down, it could be a hazard.
- Stay off the roads after dark. Night itself causes a lot of accidents, and most drunk driving accidents happen after the sun goes down. Plan to be home by then if you can.
- Keep both hands on the wheel. They tell you this in driver’s ed, but many people don’t do it. Having both hands ready means you can react faster to issues ahead of you.
- Understand blind spots. Know where yours are so that you can check them, and know when you could be dangerously driving in another vehicle’s blind spot. This is especially an issue with semitrucks.
Again, though these tips can help, accidents are still possible. Make sure you understand all of your legal options after a crash.
Source: Edmunds, “Top 10 Editors’ Tips to Prevent a Car Accident,” Caroline Pardilla, accessed April 05, 2018