How To Prevent The Most Dangerous Car Crashes?

Car accidents not only cause painful injuries, but they can also lead to a lot of medical expenses. Every year, millions of people get injured and even die due to car accidents. Many of these injured people approach injury lawyers in Brisbane to represent them in their personal injury cases. While accidents are unpredictable, there are ways to reduce the chances of them happening. Here are some tips on how to prevent the most dangerous car accidents on the road.

Avoid Being Distracted While Driving

The most basic way of avoiding major car accidents is to ensure you don't get distracted while driving. You may think that making that short phone call to your family member at home or reaching over for just a second to grab some popcorn is not a major deal, but it can lead to a major car accident. 

Distracted driving can be divided into three categories:

• Manual Distraction - doing something with your hands
• Visual Distraction - getting distracted by something you see
• Cognitive Distraction - being lost in thought while driving

Of all the distractions, speaking on the phone and texting are considered to be the worst. Every year, more than a million people meet their deaths due to texting while driving. To get rid of the temptation to speak on the phone or text while driving, take a look at the tips below:

• Switch off your phone or put it on silent when driving.
• Buy a good GPS, so you won't have to depend on your phone for directions.
• Leave your phone in the backseat or the trunk of your vehicle.
• Download an app that prevents you from texting while driving
• Send any messages that you need to send before getting on the road.
• If you have to speak or text someone and cannot wait, then pull into a parking area or side street before using the phone.

Besides these, below are some additional tips to avoid distracted driving:

• Limit the number of passengers in your car
• Pullover in a safe area if you need to eat
• Pull to the side of the road if you are on a long road trip and feel sleepy
• Plan your route before heading out on the trip
• Resist the temptation to reach down and get items that fall when driving

Don't Drink And Drive

We all know that driving under the influence of alcohol is a bad idea, if not dangerous. It is also highly illegal. Despite this, many people still drink and drive. Even a little alcohol can affect your judgment and reduce your reaction time. So if you are going somewhere for a drink, make arrangements so that you don't have to drive back. Take a cab, call an uber or have a designated driver with you. 

Don't Overspeed

Overspeeding is one of the leading causes of death on Australian roads. Driving a little above the speed limit may not feel like a big deal: you may have probably done it once in a while, but it could cost you your or someone else's life when you suddenly hit a bump and lose control of the vehicle. Additionally,  when you are overspeeding, your ability to judge any forthcoming events is reduced and hence can cause an error in judgement and lead to a crash. One of the best ways to ensure you don't speed is to give yourself enough time to get to your destination. 

Don't Be Too Close To The Car Ahead

Not only is tailgating annoying, but it can also be dangerous. If you follow a vehicle too closely, you can easily rear-end it. Follow the three-second rule if you are not aware of the appropriate distance between you and the car ahead. According to this rule, you should be three seconds behind the car in front of you. If you are driving on the highway, this should be four or five seconds. 

Take Care When Parking

Every driver is taught to drive slowly and watch out for people in parking lots. But you should not be careless when parking your vehicle just because there seems to be no movement around you. When in a hurry, many drivers focus on finding a good spot for parking and hence don't pay enough attention to what is behind them. This can cause accidents.  You should be on the lookout for suddenly opened doors, running kids, shopping carts, and other pedestrians.

Wear The Seat Belt

Seat belts were created to keep passengers in vehicles safe. Ensure you wear your seat belt at all times. Even if you are driving a short distance without much traffic around, keep it on. 

Perform Regular Vehicle Maintenance

Maintaining your vehicle well will ensure it has a long life and keep you safe on the road. If your vehicle is not maintained well, it may suddenly stop or fail at the most unfortunate time and cause an accident. Here are a few maintenance tasks that you need to carry out:

• Check your tires every month to make sure they are properly inflated.
• Change the oil regularly.
• Check the brake fluid, washer fluid, coolant, and transmission fluid regularly.
• Rotate your tires regularly. Ideally, every six months.
• Replace your engine coolant once every two to three years
• Change the power steering fluid every three years.
• Change your air filter regularly.

Don't Assume Anything

You can always control how you drive, but not how others drive. So don't make any kind of assumptions on the road. Don't assume that the driver in front of you will stop, or the driver next to you will give you the way. Just assume they are not as cautious as you on the road and drive. This way, you will pay extra attention to the road while driving.