Being involved in an accident whether you are driving a car or riding a motorcycle can be traumatic to say the least. For this reason, there are things that can be done in order to reduce the chances for a car accident. A simple example would be leaving 20 minutes early to avoid gridlock traffic that starts in nearly every major city at a certain time in the morning and afternoon. The one thing that cannot be controlled is the driving by others so accidents do occur to even the safest of drivers. Knowing what to do is important as this is a stressful situation that needs to be managed carefully for various reasons. The following are tips to reduce your odds for an accident as well as a plan of action of how to respond if involved in an accident.
Avoid Driving In Bad Weather When Possible
For most people driving in bad weather happens during a commute to or from work. Going to work this can be unavoidable but check the weather report daily as well as in the morning. Planning out a few extra minutes for traffic can allow you to drive in a safer way than if you are rushing worried about being late to work. Weather trackers can allow you to see where the rain or snow is coming down so waiting an extra few minutes can allow you to drive in clear skies.
Have Car/Tire Maintenance Done Regularly
Having car and tire maintenance regularly can prevent your car causing an accident. Tires that have lost their tread can have trouble stopping or getting any traction on a wet road. Brakes should also be changed when recommended as not being able to stop at a high speed can lead to severe injury or even death.
Eliminate Unnecessary Distractions
For younger or inexperienced drivers it is especially important to eliminate all distractions when driving. There could be a situation where you need to think clearly where a distraction causes an accident that could have been avoided. Everyone understands that it is not legal or even moral to text while driving as it could put the life of you or another person in danger. For teen drivers limiting the number of friends that they can have in a car is recommended during their first year or two of driving. The last thing you want is your teen to crash and seriously hurt a friend permanently due to being a distracted river.
Plan Out Your Route Before Departing
Planning out a route before departing for an unfamiliar destination you should map out your route. The last thing anyone wants to do is dart across multiple lanes of traffic due to an exit coming up unexpectedly. Your Google Maps or other navigation app can be a huge help as it will also notify you in case of accident or slowdowns ahead.
When Involved In An Accident
Do Not Admit Fault
When the officer that responds to the situation talks to you stick to the facts of what you saw. Do not imply that you were distracted or that it was your fault as the officer is the expert. There are times when both parties could be at fault but a witness might have seen the accident from an angle making it look like one party was at fault.
Let the police do their job as the last thing you want is to have to pay for expenses for the accident when someone else was negligent.
Document All Medical/injury Related Expenses
If filing a lawsuit, it is important to document everything checked out by a doctor as well as injury related expenses like physical therapy. A good car or motorcycle accident attorney like The Barnes Firm which are Los Angeles accident lawyers can use this documentation to maximize a settlement. Pain and suffering can also be compensated so be honest with doctors about pain or trouble doing activities you used to be able to do before the accident.
Take Pictures Or Videos
Taking pictures of the scene is important as it can document the location of the vehicles as well as the behavior of the other party. Dashcams are more important now than ever before as people unfortunately try to cause accidents in order to file lawsuits. Erratic behavior by the other driver can also be added evidence that they might have been impaired at the time of the accident.
Reducing the chances for a car accident cannot eliminate the possibility completely when driving on a regular basis. Understand that during the time after an accident you can be dazed so having a laminated plan of action can be quite useful. If you have a teen that is driving make sure that they understand what to do after an accident as well as it could save your family legally.
