Wear your
seatbelt.Using
a seatbelt reduces the risk of death or serious injury
by 50% for occupants of cars and by 65% for occupants
of sports utility vehicles (SUVs), which are more
likely than cars to roll over in an accident.A seat belt
keeps you from hitting the windshield or dashboard.A seat belts
also keeps you inside the vehicle, which is especially
important in rollover accidents. Seat belts keep
rear seat passengers from hitting the the roof or the
back of the front seat and from being thrown from the
vehicle.
Do not drink
and drive. Do not ride in a vehicle if the
driver has been drinking. About 40%
of all fatal accidents involve alcohol. About
17,000 people die each year in alcohol related car
accidents. That us one death every 30
minutes. Drunk drivers kill their spouses,
friends and children. Do not let others drive if
they have been drinking. Do not just warn your
teenager about drunk driving. Tell him or her
that if they are ever in a situation where they are
tempted to drive after drinking or to be a passenger
of someone who has been drinking, that they can call
you for a ride, no questions asked.
Use a car
seat or booster seat for your child.Automobile
accidents are the leading cause of death for children
in the United States.About 50% ofthese deaths happen to children who are
unrestrained.The
safest place for your child’s car seat or booster
seat is in the rear of the car.Secure the
seat correctly.If
you can tug the seat more than 1 inch it is probably
not installed correctly. Police or fire
departments will gladly check the installation for
you.
Keep your
distance from other cars. The most
common car accident is the rear-ender. Keep a
safe distance from the car in front of you. (For
every 10 miles per hour of speed, you should be at
least one second behind the car in front of
you.) Check your rear mirror often and if the
car behind you is too close, control the situation by
pulling over and letting the car go by.
Be extra
careful at intersections. Accidents
at intersections are often the most dangerous
because there is often little protection provided by
airbags or seat belts in a side impact. SUVs
often get knocked over when struck from the
side. Avoid intersection accidents by not
running red lights. If approaching a light that
turns green, do not enter the intersection without
making sure that no one is running a red light.
When stopped for a red light, stay far back from the
intersection so that you do not get hit by cars
turning sharply into the intersection.
Do not take
chances with left hand turns. When
turning left in front of oncoming traffic, make sure
you have plenty of time to make your turn. If in
doubt, wait until traffic passes. If there is
more than one lane of oncoming traffic, make sure all
lanes are clear before turning left. If an
oncoming driver signals for you to make your turn,
again make sure all oncoming lanes are clear before
turning left.
Make sure
your teenage driver is well trained.
A driver's ed class may be enough for your teenage son
or daughter to get a license but probably not enough
for him or her to become a good driver. Spend as
much time as you can teaching your teenager how to
drive. Point out things you have learned from
your years of driving.
Avoid road
rage. Do not get lured into driving
aggressively if another driver cuts you off or makes
some other foolish maneuver. Control the
situation by ignoring the other driver. If a
driver tailgates you or pulls alongside and makes
gestures at you, let the driver go by. If you
feel threatened, drive to a police station or to a
place with a lot of people like a shopping plaza,
restaurant or coffee shop.
When You Need a Car Accident
Lawyer,
Rely on Us for Skill,
Determination and Experience.
