Here are some tips that will help you keep yourself and others safer on the road.
Today, there are more cars on the road than ever before. There are more drivers, the average vehicle speed is higher, and accidents are more prevalent. Even as vehicles are continuously being improved to be safer for passengers, we are still seeing an increase in road fatalities every year. Staying safe on the road is all about sticking to the basics and being very careful while you are on the road.
A lot of road accidents that take place are the result of careless behavior from one or both drivers involved. If everyone can play their part in making roads safer, we can drastically reduce road accidents. Here are some tips that will help you keep yourself and others safer on the road.
Conduct regular vehicle inspection
Before you get out on the road, make sure your car is in good condition. The main things to check include your brakes, tires, air pressure, lights, and fuel level. All these things are best checked on a cold start, that is, the first start of the day. Checking these things doesn’t require a mechanic and you only need to know what will pass a safety test.
For instance, for tire health, you are required by law to have at least 3mm of tire depth when testing at the tire depth marker. Just going through these basic steps will drastically decrease the possibility of something going wrong with your car when you are on the road.
Have a backup
Road accidents are a problem to deal with not only in terms of the physical injuries that a person sustains but also the legal problems that develop from the situation. The best safety measure in this regard is to have a vehicle injuries specialist by your side. This might be a professional who is provided by your insurance provider, but you can also get an independent professional to help you out. Ideally, you should have this professional shortlisted as soon as you get a vehicle.
After an accident is not the best time to go out and find a lawyer. You are already facing so many problems and since time is now of the essence, you will not be in the best mental state to make such a decision.
Make safety a priority
When you are on the road, make sure you are wearing a seatbelt. If you have children on board, make sure they are in their car seats and are properly strapped in. If possible, you should invest in a car seat with a multipoint harness and one that has a tension indicator. This will make it easier to check the tension in the seat belt and ensure that it is properly fastened to the seat belt socket.
If your vehicle has airbags, then make sure you get this checked by a mechanic to ensure they are all functional and ready to be deployed in the case of an emergency. An alarming number of accidents have fatal consequences because the safety equipment in the car failed to launch when needed.
Be alert
Another common cause of road accidents is that drivers are distracted. They are busy on their phone or they are trying to hand a passenger something or they are just looking elsewhere and not focusing on the road. This is potentially dangerous since quite often things will just happen out of nowhere.
For instance, a car swerves into your lane in front of you and suddenly slows down or a pedestrian suddenly walks onto the road in front of you, or anything else. You will only be able to handle these situations if you are completely focused on the road and paying attention to all the variables around you.
Consider the weather
Different weather conditions have varying levels of impact on your vehicle. This is something that you need to take into consideration. For instance, in extreme heat, the air in the tires will expand and this will increase tire pressure. This causes the tires to get extremely hard and can cause them to lose traction.
Checking the tire pressure on such a hot day will show you that the tire pressure is too high and you can lower the tire pressure. If the roads are slippery, then slow down and use your fog lights. If there is snow, use a chain on your tires. Making adjustments according to the weather will save your life.
Photo by Osman Rana on Unsplash
As businesses open up after the pandemic people are back to using their cars to commute to and from social gatherings. Driving under the influence has always been a problem and continues to be one of the main reasons for accidents in both private and commercial vehicles. Not only should you drive sober, but if you feel like another driver on the road is under the influence get in contact with authorities and try to get him or her off the road. Keeping the roads safe is everyone’s duty.
Main photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
