Road Safety: 6 Tips On Preventing Car Accidents
While you can never completely prevent an accident from happening on the roads, these six tips can reduce your chances of being involved in an accident in New Orleans.
6 Tips To Help Prevent Car Accidents
These six tips will seem like common sense but car, truck, and motorcycle accidents happen daily around the globe. Defensive driving is not enough to combat against distracted and impaired driving. Review the tips below and leave comments if you have any other tips that may be helpful for readers.
1. Keep your eyes scanning the areas around your vehicle.
Don’t just eyeball the car in front of you, but watch the traffic in front of that car, behind you, and on your sides as well. This increases your chance of seeing a problem while still having enough time to react to it.
Many accidents are avoided daily due to proactive drivers. People who pay attention and anticipate the road around them are more likely to arrive at their destination safely.
2. Drive with your hands in the 9 and 3 o’clock position.
While many of us were taught to keep our hands at the 10 and 2 o’clock positions, with the installation of airbags, the 9 and 3 o’clock positions have actually become safest these days. Not only does it help reduce injuries if the airbag releases, but it also provides you maximum control of the wheel with the quickest reaction times.
Again, conventional wisdom is not always correct. Most people believe 10 and 2 are the proper locations but new research proves otherwise.
3. Keep your car in good shape.
Adhering to the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule ensures that your vehicle will accelerate, stop and steer when needed. Also remember to keep your tires in good shape, as these are the best defenses against accidents in inclement weather.
This is one of the main reasons why Uber and Lyft require newer vehicles for their drivers. They need cars to be safe and clean. Keeping your car in good shape ensures that you have the best technology working to your advantage when on the road.
4. Beware of blind spots.
Your side mirrors and rearview mirror should provide you with one near seamless panoramic scene of the view behind you. However, remember that mirrors don’t show the whole picture. Remind yourself to scan the areas around your car and try to reduce the time your vehicle spends in anyone else’s blind spots.
Again, new technology helps drivers to avoid blind-spot mistakes on the road.
5. The nighttime is not the right time.
Some people like to travel at night to avoid traffic, but doing so comes with certain hazards. The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2013 was nearly four times higher at night than during the day.
In addition to the possibility of increased fatigue and decreased field of vision at night, you need to be aware of inexperienced drivers and drivers who may be drunk. An average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality occurred every 52 minutes in 2013. Drive extra defensively after midnight, when it is more likely that people are leaving bars, parties or sports arenas.
6. Learn how to drive like a NASCAR driver.
It may sound totally unnecessary, but going to a high-performance driving school is one of the best ways to improve your skills as a driver. A driving school can teach you what it feels like to drive a car “at the limits” and techniques and maneuvers for accident avoidance and skid recovery in a safe, controlled environment. Understanding and practicing how to make your car do what you want in emergency situations could save your life.
This is similar to the old sports adage whereby they say the best offense is a good defense. Here that is flipped. The best defense is a good offense when it comes to driving.
