We shouldn’t have to remind you to avoid getting into a car crash. But just look around at the other motorists you’re sharing the road with. They are looking at their cellphones, speeding, swerving through lanes of traffic, tailgating, driving drunk, getting distracted – and basically doing anything and everything that common sense says not to do.
Nevertheless, these people drive every day, get bored and they forget to pay attention to the basic things that – if they did them – would prevent them from causing or getting into a serious collision. So please let the following serve as a serious reminder. You must follow this advice for the safety of yourself and others:
Don’t break the law: Countless drivers break the law in numerous ways every time they drive. Don’t be one of them. If only we all were to follow the law to the letter while driving, it would prevent nearly all instances of serious and fatal collisions.
Don’t drink and drive even if it’s just a little bit: You can drink and lawfully drive as long as your blood alcohol level doesn’t exceed .08 percent, but you really shouldn’t. Even trace amounts of alcohol in your system can affect your driving skills. Also, it’s hard for many motorists to stop drinking after just one.
Don’t drive fatigued: Fatigued driving causes thousands of fatalities in the U.S. each year and the statistics aren’t even accurate. How many drivers are going to admit that they killed someone because they fell asleep? There’s no test for tiredness and many of these cases remain unknown. In fact, many say that driving while tired is more dangerous than drunk driving.
Stay focused on the road: Distracted driving is another problem like fatigued driving. It’s hard to know that a driver was distracted before an accident happens. Refraining from using – or even touching – your cellphone while driving should be a given. But what about other distractions? Don’t eat, talk with friends, put on makeup or do other things that will take your attention away from driving. Even a millisecond is enough to increase your chances of getting into a collision.
Of course, there’s only so much we can personally do to prevent a crash. Everyone needs to get on board with these recommendations. If you are doing what you can, but a negligent or unlawful driver hurts you or your family, investigate your legal rights immediately.