What to Do If You Get in an Auto Accident
A car accident could be a devastating event. It can cause loss of income, benefits and significant expenses out of pocket.
You can help yourself and others by staying secure if you're a victim of a car accident or witness to one.
Beware of Distractions
If you're distracted when driving, it could be a major risk to your safety as well as that of others. Texting, eating, and grooming are some of the most frequently-repeated distractions.
If distracted drivers are involved in an accident, it may cause serious injuries and even death for the people near them. Drivers who are distracted might ignore road signs and dangers or miss out on unexpected dangers.
Distractions are anything that diverts the driver's attention from the road and causes them to lose control of their vehicle. They can be visual or cognitive, and each has distinct characteristics.
Visual distractions can distract drivers' eyes from the road, like using a GPS, looking at the billboard, or even rubbernecking in an accident. This can be very risky especially when the driver is travelling at highway speeds or they are driving by pedestrians or other vehicles.
Manual distractions can also be extremely harmful, particularly when drivers aren't paying attention to the road and do not react quickly enough. Eating while driving can be a major distraction and can be a distraction, as could changing the radio station or reaching for something in the back of the car accident attorney lawyer.
Cognitive distractions can be just as harmful as other distractions. They can involve talking on a phone, singing, or thinking about an emotionally charged situation. They could also be a sign of drowsiness. This can make it difficult for drivers to stay focused on the road.
The best way to stay clear of distracting behaviors while driving is to establish boundaries and practice attentive driving. You can do this by setting rules and leading by example.
It's important to be aware that everyone is at risk of being distracted while driving, and it's certainly not just teens or drivers who are just starting out. Older people, drivers who are drowsy and even pets can be potential distractions when driving.
If you have a loved one who is prone to distraction while driving, make sure to talk with them about the importance of keeping their eyes on the road and how to avoid this happening. You can also help your friend to turn off their phone and set it on "do-not-disturb" mode when they drive.
Keeping Your Distance
Maintaining an appropriate distance from the vehicle in front of you is one of the best things you can do to ensure your car's safety. This can help avoid a collision, and protect yourself and others in the vicinity from injury and death.
There are numerous ways to ensure that you're traveling at the right distance. You can apply the 3-second formula to determine if you're following too closely.
The 3-second rule is based on the fact that you require around three seconds to respond when another vehicle abruptly brakes. If you are too close to the car in front of you, it could be difficult to stop safely.
This is especially applicable to truck drivers who require plenty of room to stop safely before approaching an intersection. This rule of the road is often ignored by drivers, which can result in serious injuries and fatalities.
You can also estimate the distance you must follow a vehicle by counting the time it takes you to get to a specific point after the vehicle at the front has passed it. This can be accomplished by watching the car accident injury attorney near me in advance pass an overhead sign, a tree or other roadside markers.
Count again. Once you've decided the time it will take for your car to arrive at that location after another car has passed, start counting. Start counting 1-1,000, 2-1,000 and then 3-1,000 until you have a gap of three seconds between you and the vehicle in front.
If you're unable achieve three seconds, then increase your following distance gradually until you are there. It might mean slowed down to avoid a collision, but the effort worth it.
The most common rear-end collisions occur when drivers follow too closely the vehicle in front of them. By increasing your following distance and following the 3-second rule, you will be able to prevent these crashes as well as other collisions that could cause serious damage to your car and those surrounding you.
Avoiding Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions rank as the most frequent auto accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that they are responsible lawyers for car accidents near me nearly a third of all crashes and result in an estimated 2,000 deaths per year in the United States.
Although front-end collisions can be more fatal, rear end collisions can cause serious injuries and property damage. Rear-end collisions can also result in soft-tissue injuries like whiplash.
These injuries can cause severe discomfort in the back, neck and shoulder areas. These injuries usually require physical therapy, medical expenses and lost wages in order to heal.
The best car wreck lawyers way to avoid rear-end collisions is to keep your distance from other vehicles. This means that you should be following the vehicles at a safe speed and not tailgate them.
Driving too fast could increase the likelihood of a rear-end collision because you won't have enough time to react to dangers, like slower or stopped traffic in the area in front of you. The National Safety Council recommends that drivers maintain a three-second minimum following distance, and larger vehicles even more.
Rear-end collisions can be extremely risky when weather or road conditions are hazardous. If you are driving in heavy snow or rain for instance you should increase the distance you follow and take extra care.
To avoid a rear-end collision, look at your rear-view mirror frequently depending on how crowded the traffic is ahead of you. This will help you determine whether the car in front of you is accelerating or applying the brakes.
Another good habit to adopt is to use your turn signals when changing lanes or taking a car out of parking lots. This can help the driver in front of you be aware of your vehicle and assist them in avoiding a swerve out of their lane to strike you.
Always keep children in the back of the car when traveling with them. This will prevent children from moving around in the vehicle, or becoming disoriented and distracting while you are driving.
It is an excellent idea to keep your phone off the road while driving and not use it to distract you. Texting or talking on the phone texting can cause rear-end collisions.
Making sure your engine is running
The engine of your car may be one of the most important components to you as a driver, but it could also be among the most frustrating parts. If you're involved in an accident, the engine of your car might not begin after you turn the key or press START.
This is not a problem that's simple to spot and fix, so it's best to take your vehicle in for a checkup as soon as the check engine light turns on. The lights will be alerted if your lawyer car accident near me (you could look here) has problems in the areas of battery, temperature, alternator or in any other area.
If you are having difficulties starting your vehicle following an accident of a minor nature, it could be due to a tripped switch that shuts off the fuel pump's power. This switch is designed to prevent your vehicle from catching fire in the incident of a collision but it can also damage the engine if it is tripped.
It's possible that you are unable to start your car after an accident, because your vehicle's engine transmission has stopped working properly. In this scenario you'll have to seek the help of a mechanic to figure out the cause of the issue, and then fix it before you can start your vehicle once more.
Even if your car is equipped with an engine that's healthy, it's still important to run it once in the course of time to ensure it's lubricated and working properly. This can be achieved by turning the engine on slowly and let it warm for 30 seconds.
When you do this, you're taking an opportunity to inspect all of your vehicle's belts, hoses air cleaners, and other components to ensure they're in good working order. This will increase your gas mileage as well as ensure that your vehicle runs smoothly.
This is also a great method to ensure your tires are properly inflated. When your tires are properly inflated, they will ensure that they grip the road better and lessen the risk of a tire blowout or any other damage.