It seems like there are some people that need to have a car accident law firm on speed dial. They seem to always be in a fender bender. That’s because they are not driving defensively and doing what they can to avoid an accident.
The thing is that even when you are in the right and an accident is the other driver’s fault, you can often avoid the accident by using smart driving skills. You can even see a reduction in your insurance premium when you are a better driver.
It all starts with being a defensive driver and not acting like you are in a self-driving car and being passive while you drive. In this article, I will go over the basics of what it takes to be a better defensive driver.
Take your time
When you are in a rush you tend to not pay attention to what is going on around you. Not only that but when you are in a rush you’re not giving yourself much time to react.
Leave your house earlier to get to work or wherever you are going. Having extra time means that you can give yourself the time needed to react to a driver that is not paying attention. This is how accidents can be avoided even when you’re not at fault.
Plan ahead based on your day. If the weather looks bad then give yourself more time to get there since snow and rain can slow you down. Slippery roads require more time to brake so you have to go slower which means it will take you longer to get to your destination.
Don’t drive distracted
There are a lot of things that we do in the car that cause us to get distracted. Texting is absolutely the worst of them as it takes our eyes off of the road for longer than we are aware. It is such a widespread problem that it is almost as bad as drunk driving.
Even talking on the phone, drinking, eating, and changing the radio station are all forms of distracted driving. Make a point to not eat or drink while driving. This should be done before you get in the car. You can turn your phone notifications off so you are not responding. If you need to take a call, pull off into a rest area or parking lot.
Give some space
Riding on somebody’s tailgate is a sure way to get into an accident. And if you hit somebody from behind then you are at fault.
Make sure to leave a few car lengths between you and the car ahead of you. Even when you are going the speed limit, it takes a couple of seconds to stop, and if the car ahead of you brakes suddenly then you will smash into them. This is a good habit to have at any time but when it’s raining it becomes even more important.
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