There is a very large club that no one wants to join – the 3,287 people who die every day in road crashes. While many accidents cannot be prevented, there is one thing that all drivers can do to increase the odds of staying out of that club – learn and practice defensive driving.
Here are the top 10 defensive driving tips.
1. Avoid distractions. Don’t juggle a drink and a burger, talk or text on the phone. Anything that takes the driver’s eyes and attention from the road increases the chances of an accident.
2. Look ahead of the car in front. Spotting trouble in time to avoid it is critically important.
3. Don’t be a constant lane changer as this can result in a rear end collision. Remain in one lane whenever possible.
4. Use all of the car’s mirrors to watch for drivers who are changing lanes.
5. Blind spots are a driver’s worst enemy. Stay out of other driver’s blind spots by remaining at a safe distance from other cars.
6. Avoiding eye contact with other drivers can help prevent involvement in a road rage incident by . Most road rage incidents escalate when drivers look directly at each other.
7. Be especially careful at intersections. Don’t hit the gas the second the light turns green, but look first to the left and then to the right. Another driver may be running the red light.
8. Know how to swerve the car. This is a tactic that should only be used when absolutely necessary to avoid an accident. Check that the lane to be swerved into is empty and return immediately to the correct lane.
9. When you spot a bad driver, stay as far from that car as possible. If a car is following too closely, slow down or pull over so that they can pass.
10. Never tailgate another vehicle. Doing so dramatically increases the chance of an accident, because there is almost zero time available to avoid one.
Defensive driving will keep any driver safer, but accidents still happen. If the other driver’s negligence has left you with serious injuries, talk to experienced personal injury lawyer in Baltimore. You are entitled to fair compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. Contact the Law Offices of Frank E. Turney for a free consultation with these skilled Personal Injury Lawyers in Baltimore.
