In the year 2015, there were about 4.4 million serious auto accident injuries. If you were one of those victims, you already know how difficult it can be to deal with the aftermath, as serious car accident injuries may linger for months or years. While a personal injury attorney can help you get the compensation needed to fund a full recovery, there is no doubt that you'd rather have avoided the accident completely. Is it possible to avoid becoming an accident statistic? If you follow these tips, it might be.
Guarding Against Mechanical Failure
Some of the auto accidents that happen today are caused by mechanical failure. Although mechanical failure is often unpredictable, you may be able to avoid problems.
- Vehicle Inspections: Make sure to have your vehicle inspected at the regular intervals recommended by the manufacturer.
- Recall Notices: If you get a vehicle part recall notice in the mail, don't ignore it. Get that faulty or potentially faulty part replaced immediately.
An issue like a faulty transmission could go from bad to critical very quickly. There is no reason to take chances when you can avoid many issues by making an appointment to have your vehicle serviced.
Driving Defensively
Aggressive drivers cause more than 50 percent of all auto accident fatalities today. You may think that you're fairly safe because you aren't one of those aggressive drivers, but that just isn't enough to protect you. Practicing defensive driving is the best way to protect yourself from aggressive drivers.
- Give Them Space: The best thing you can do to avoid aggressive drivers is to give them a wide berth. Avoid tailgating at all costs. If you see another vehicle following too closely behind you, try to change lanes safely if at all possible.
- Watch All Sides: With so many aggressive drivers on the road, you need to be hyper-aware of your surroundings. This means keeping a watch on not only the road ahead of you, but also the road behind you. Aggressive drivers often try risky lane-changing maneuvers, so be cognizant of the lanes on either side of you as well.
- Drop the Devices: 46 states and the District of Columbia have banned text messaging for drivers. 14 of those states and the District of Columbia have banned all mobile device use, including talking on the phone, while driving. If you're distracted - even just for a split second - by your mobile device, you risk being a victim of someone with a bad case of road rage. A lack of attention could even mean that you cause a wreck yourself. Avoid all device use while driving, and pull over to a safe place if you have a mobile emergency that just can't wait.
While not every accident is preventable, you can do your best to avoid being a victim by using the tips above. If you're ever in the unfortunate position of an accident again, the fact that you practice smart driving rules will mean that your case may be easier for your personal injury lawyer to prove.
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