No driver wants to get into a car accident, but not all of them practice proper driving behavior at all times. As a matter of fact, over thirty thousand road vehicles were reported annually here in the U.S. This results in the death of thousands of people and injuries to several millions more.
If you don’t want to be part of this number, the best thing you can do is to always practice proper driving habits. Here are 3 common causes of car accidents and how to avoid them:
Distracted Driving
In 2018, over two thousand eight hundred people lost their lives due to distracted driving. Of this, approximately sixty-one percent are drivers. What’s worse is that distracted driving can happen more frequently now due to the use of handheld gadgets.
Let’s take smartphones as an example. Almost all of us have our eyes glued to this gadget, making distracted driving truly harder to resist. Ask yourself: When was the last time you used your phone while driving? I guess not too long ago.
But distracted driving is not just limited to smartphone usage. Any activity that diverts your attention from the road is considered as distracted driving. This includes applying your makeup, fiddling with your car’s stereo and eating.
How to avoid this:
-
Avoid using any gadget while driving. If possible, put them out of your reach such as inside your glove box or at the backseat of your car.
-
If you need to use your phone, pull over to a safe place first.
-
If you are a passenger, call out the attention of the driver when he starts to use any gadget.
Drunk Driving
Every year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports more ten thousand deaths due to drunk driving, making it one of the deadliest causes of vehicular accidents in the country.
The risks of driving after drinking is no secret at all. Yet, a lot of people not just in America, but across the world, neglect to understand how fatal this behavior can be. Despite being illegal in every state, there is still one American dying every fifty minutes due to this.
How to avoid this:
-
If you have been drinking, ask a sober friend to drive you home or just hire a cab.
-
If you are at a friend’s house, ask if you can stay for the night and just wait for 2 – 3 hours.
-
Also, never let a drunk friend drive. Drive them home, if possible.
Speeding
Many drivers believe that the faster they drive, the sooner they arrive at their destination. Well, this might be a little bit true, but breaking the speed limits has some major consequences that you definitely don’t want to endure.
For the past decades, speeding has been one of the deadliest causes of motor vehicle fatalities. In 2018, more than nine thousand people lost their lives due to drivers who ignore speed limits.
The sad truth is that the faster your drive, the slower your reaction time is. When an unexpected situation occurs, you will have less control over the vehicle, especially if you are driving really fast.
How to avoid this:
-
Drive under the speed limit.
-
Leave early. This gives you plenty of time to reach your destination.
-
Make avoiding speeding tickets your motivation.
Avoid Risky Driving
It is important to always practice proper driving behaviors. This will not just help you avoid dealing with law enforcers, but this also keeps you safe on the road. Risky driving can undoubtedly bring serious consequences if you do not take it seriously. The best thing you can do is be a responsible driver and help keep America’s roads safe.
