What to Do If You Get in an Auto Accident
A car accident can be a devastation. It can cause loss of income, benefits and significant out-of-pocket costs.
If you're a victim in an auto accident
car accident injury attorneys lawyer (
yerliakor.com) or who's witnessing one, there are a variety of things you can do to keep yourself safe and help others.
Avoiding Distractions
Distracted driving has a huge impact on both your safety and that of other drivers. Eating, texting, or grooming are just a few of the most frequent distractions.
If distracted drivers are involved in an accident, it can result in serious injuries and deaths for those near them. This is because distracted driving could cause drivers to ignore hazards and unexpected issues in front of them or to ignore important road warning signs.
Distractions are anything that diverts a driver's attention away from the road and causes them to lose control of their vehicle. They can be both visual and cognitive, and each comes with their own distinctive characteristics.
Visual distractions are the things that distract drivers' eyes from the road, for example, using a GPS, looking at a billboard or rubbernecking an accident. This can be very dangerous especially when the driver is traveling at highway speeds or they are traveling by other vehicles or pedestrians.
Manual distractions can also be dangerous, especially when drivers don't pay attention to the road or fail to react quickly. Driving while eating is a huge distraction, as can changing the radio station or searching to something behind the car.
Cognitive distractions are a lesser-known but equally deadly category of distractions. They could be a result of using the phone or a song, or thinking about a difficult situation. They can also be signs of drowsiness that can make it hard for drivers to stay focused on the road.
The best way to stay clear of distracting behavior while driving is to establish boundaries and practice attentive driving. This can be accomplished by modeling behavior and establishing rules to restrict screen time.
It's important that we remember that everyone is at risk of being a distracted driver and it's not only teens or new drivers. Older people, drowsy drivers and even pets could all be potential distractions while driving.
If you know someone who is susceptible to distraction while driving, make sure to speak with them about the importance of keeping their eye on the road and how to avoid this happening. You can also encourage your friend to shut off their phone and turn it on "do-not-disturb" mode when they are driving.
Keep Your Distance
One of the most important ways to keep your car safe while driving is to maintain a safe distance between you and any vehicle that is ahead of you. This will help avoid collisions, and also protect you and others who are around you from injury or death.
There are numerous ways you can ensure that you're traveling at the right distance. You can apply the 3-second formula to determine if you are following too closely.
The 3-second rule is based on fact that it takes around three seconds to react when a car brakes abruptly. If you're too close to the vehicle in the distance it won't give you enough time to stop safely in case a collision happens.
This is particularly true of truck drivers, who need plenty of space to safely brake as they approach a stop. Many accidents involving semis as well as large rigs happen because drivers fail to follow this road rule which can cause serious injuries, or even death for everyone involved.
You can also determine the distance you need to follow a vehicle by counting the amount of time you need to reach a particular place after the
car crash injury lawyer in the front has passed by it. This can be accomplished by watching the car in advance pass an overhead sign, tree or other roadside marker.
Once you've figured out how long it takes your
car accident lawyer near me to reach the spot after the other driver passes it, start counting again. Start counting 1-1,000, 2-1,000, and then 3,001, until you reach three seconds gap between you and the car ahead of you.
If you're unable to reach three seconds, increase your following distance gradually until you get there. This may involve slowing down to avoid collision, but it's worth the extra effort.
The most common rear-end collisions occur when drivers follow the vehicle ahead of them too closely. By increasing your following distance and following the 3-second rule, you will be able to avoid these crashes and other collisions which could cause severe damage to your vehicle and those near you.
Avoiding Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions are among the most common auto accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that they constitute about 1/3 of all accidents and result in about 2,000 deaths every year in the United States.
While front-end collisions are more fatal, rear-end collisions can be still a significant source of injuries and property damage. Rear-end collisions could also cause whiplash-like injuries to soft tissues, for example.
These injuries can cause drivers to experience significant discomfort and pain in their neck, shoulder and back areas. These injuries usually require physical therapy, medical costs and lost wages to recover.
Keep your distance from other cars to avoid an accident. This means you should be following them at a safe pace and not lag behind them.
Driving too fast could increase the likelihood of a rear-end collision because you won't have enough time to notice and react to potential hazards, such as slower or stopped traffic front of you. The National Safety Council recommends a minimum three-second following distance for passenger cars, and more for larger vehicles.
When road or weather conditions are hazardous, rear-end collisions are more risky. If you're driving in heavy rain or snow for example, increase the distance you follow.
To avoid a rear-end collision, make sure you check your rearview mirror frequently depending on how crowded the traffic is in front of you. This will let you know whether the driver behind you is accelerating or applying the brakes.
Another good practice is to use your turn signals when changing lanes or getting out of a parking lot. This will assist the driver behind you to be aware of your vehicle and prevent them from swerving in their path to hit you.
Always ensure that children are in the back of the vehicle when you are traveling with them. This will stop them from running around the vehicle, or becoming confused and distracted while driving.
It is also a great idea to put your phone away and avoid using it while driving. Talking on the phone or texting can lead to rear-end collisions.
Keep Your Engine Running
The engine of your vehicle could be one of the most important parts for you as a driver, but it could also be one of the most frustrating parts. In the case of an accident, you may discover that your car's engine won't start when you turn the key.
This isn't a problem that is easy to identify and repair, so it's recommended to bring your car to a mechanic immediately after the check engine light turns on. The lights will let you know when there's a problem with the battery, alternator and temperature, as well as other parts of your
car crash attorneys that need attention.
If you're experiencing difficulty starting your car following a minor accident it could be the result of a tripped inertial switch which shuts off power to your vehicle's fuel pump. This switch is intended to prevent your vehicle from burning in the event of a collision however, it could also cause damage to your engine if tripped.
Another reason you might not be in a position to start your engine after an auto accident is that the collision could have caused your vehicle's transmission to stop working properly. In this situation you'll have to seek out a mechanic to determine what caused the problem and then fix it.
Even if you have an engine that's in good shape but it's still essential to run it once in the course of time to ensure that it's lubricated properly and is working. This can be done by turning the engine and letting it warm up for 30 seconds or for a few minutes.
You can take this opportunity to examine all hoses, belts and air cleaners in your vehicle to make sure they are working properly. This will increase your gas mileage and ensure that your vehicle is operating smoothly.
This is also a great way to ensure that your tires are inflated properly. If your tires are properly inflated, it will ensure that they can grip the road better and decrease the risk of blowouts or other damage.