Road Safety for Drivers

We’ve talked about road safety for pedestrians in the past, but in order to prevent personal injury lawsuits, it is also important for drivers to be very aware of their surroundings and to practice road safety at all times. Here are the most important tips for drivers to remember to avoid a personal injury lawsuit.

Check your vehicle before you leave the house.
You’ll want to ensure that your car is completely functional and is not experiencing any problems before you take off on a drive, particularly if it is a long one. Although chances are slim of something going wrong with your car and causing an accident, this issue can be prevented just by being aware. You’ll also want to make sure that you take your car in for service periodically as necessary, just to keep it as healthy as possible.

Pick a designated driver, even if you don’t plan on drinking that much.
Alcohol is one of the biggest contributors to car accidents, so you’ll want to make sure that there’s no risk of it being an issue. Drunk driving is a particularly big problem when it comes to personal injury suits, because it is much harder to see a pedestrian or a cyclist at night when you’ve been drinking and your reaction times are impaired. Before you head out for the night, choose a friend from your group to be the designated driver. If everyone in your group really wants to drink, try to take public transportation or a cab instead, so no one has to worry about it.

Put your phone away.
Distracted driving is another major problem that also causes accidents. The biggest distraction for many people is their cell phone. Before you go on a drive, turn your phone off and put it in a closed compartment or a bag in your car where you won’t be tempted to reach for it. If you absolutely cannot turn it off, consider investing in a hands-free bluetooth speaker where you won’t have to take your eyes off the road to answer the call. There are also many programs now that will allow you to send voice text messages. Another strategy if you absolutely need to respond to a text message is to have a passenger read it to you and then type the response – that way, you don’t take your eyes off the road at all.

Stay within the speed limit.
Aggressive driving is a huge cause of all types of road accidents. Although it can be tempting to speed and weave through traffic when you are late, you should always drive safely. No matter how skilled of a driver you are, there are always going to be other people around you who aren’t going to be able to predict your next move. You should also make sure you aren’t going too slowly, either, as this can also be a cause of car crashes, particularly on the highway. To avoid feeling compelled to speed, make sure you always leave the house with plenty of time, and that you look up the fastest route to avoid traffic.

Educate teen drivers well.
One of the biggest issues on the road is new, teenaged drivers that aren’t ready to drive. They are more likely to make mistakes that could result in an accident. If you have a teen driver in your family, make sure you educate them well to ensure that they are completely empowered out on the road. This may mean investing in a driver’s ed course, but it is worth the money if it keeps them safer.