Five Ways to Avoid a Car Accident
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Whether it’s a fender-bender, dingy or a car-totaling crash, any automotive accident is frustrating. All have the potential to damage the body and physical property. Some can be life-altering and fatal. While you can’t control the actions of other drivers on the road, there are some things you can do to decrease your odds of being in an accident.

Here are five proven techniques to do just that:

  1. Drive defensively. That means using awareness on the road. Scan the road at least 25 feet ahead to better anticipate changes in traffic flow. Look out for pedestrians in marked crosswalks and between parked cars. Keep your hands at nine and three o’clock to better control the steering wheel. Know your car’s limits and take good care of the engine and parts to avoid a breakdown.
  2. Stay under the speed limit. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding is the third most common contributing factor in traffic crashes, and it occurs in 33 percent of fatal accidents. Young men ages 15 to 20 are most likely to be involved in a fatal vehicle crash. Enrolling in a race car driver’s course is a great way to gain handling skills and satisfy your need for speed.
  3. Stay alert. While driving drowsy accounts for a low percentage of fatal crashes, sleepy drivers dominate the property-damage only category with 70 percent of all crashes. Drowsiness slows reaction time, decreases situational awareness and impairs judgment. If you’re sleepy while driving, find a rest area or well-lit parking space and take a quick nap.
  4. Limit distractions. Distracted driving is defined as any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the task of driving. This includes grooming, eat and drinking, talking with passengers, adjusting your music, using a map or navigation system and using your phone. In 2014, distracted.gov reported that 10 percent of drivers under the age of 20 involved in crashes were distracted at the time. Texting is especially dangerous because it requires visual, physical and cognitive focus to send. Whatever the message, it can wait.
  5. Drive sober every time. In a recent study conducted by the NHTSA, drivers with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent — the legal limit in every state — were four times more likely to crash than a sober driver. Increasing the blood-alcohol level to 0.15 percent increases the risk of crashing by a factor of 12. Driving under the influence of marijuana makes you 25 percent more likely to crash than driving sober. Designating a sober driver or calling a cab is the best way to avoid the grief of DWIs.

Source: https://www.psbfirm.com/legal-news/five-ways-to-avoid-a-car-accident/