Introduction
Accidents are inevitable. Car repairs, possible injuries and increased insurance premiums are some of the costly consequences that can be avoided if you practice safe driving. Apart from the hefty cost, safe driving also helps to ensure the safety of you and your loved ones during the car ride. Take a look at the list of common car accidents and learn how to avoid these mistakes.
1. Rear-end collision
Rear-end collisions are by far one of the most common car accidents that lead to people filing car insurance claims or hiring a Vehicle injury solicitor to handle legal matters. Collisions can be actively avoided by both drivers whether you are the victim or the at-fault driver through the following ways:
- Maintain safe following distance: always ensure that there is sufficient space between you and the vehicle in front so it gives you leeway to react safely to unforeseen traffic movement. One should practice a three-second rule (and longer wait time for drivers with a heavier vehicle). If you are caught in bad weather, please extend the waiting time and keep the distance from the car.
- Drive strategically: Refrain from situations that could force you to pull the breaks. Keep a lookout for drivers who are following your vehicle too closely or those who are not focusing on the road.
- Avoid distraction: Taking a bite of your snack or reading that text message can all seem harmless at first glance. But the presence of distraction determines how quickly you can react if the driver in front stops suddenly.
- Refrain from driving when sleepy or under the influence: You are bound to make driving errors when you hit the road while feeling drowsy or impaired by drugs and alcohol.
2. Parked car collision
Being the second most common cause of car accidents, this occurs when your parked vehicle gets bumped by another. Before leaving your vehicle in the parking lot, consider some of these tips:
- Distance from heavy traffic: the chances of your car getting knocked by another is reduced as you park away from the busiest parts of the parking lot.
- Maximizing space: It is a good practice to park in the centre of the parking slot. Do reposition the car if it’s too close to the parking line because this position helps to keep the vehicle from being hit when others try to park at adjacent spots. In addition, maximizing the parking space also prevents unnecessary dents from swinging doors.
- Be street-smart about parking: Bust intersections, driveways and sharp turns are not the best places to park your car as your car may be in the driver’s blind spot. We encourage you to park your car at safe locations such as a garage to avoid collisions.
3. Single-vehicle accidents
Collisions with road barriers, maybe even debris or animals are definitely preventable. Follow these precautions and you are good to go:
- Check the weather: no matter the weather, one should always drive at a speed that grants you control over the vehicle. For example, it would be advisable for one to learn hydroplaning prior to the rainy season or even refresh their winter driving skills before leaving overseas.
- Focus on the road: even if you are the sole person on the road, you should not be texting anyone or eating while driving because you never know when the conditions of the road might change.
- Maintain the speed: There is no doubt that speeding is dangerous, and it contributes to many gruesome collision cases. Even if you don’t see any humans along the road, beware of your speed.
4. Windshield damage
The windshield of the car is prone to cracks and chipping over the long run as it gets exposed by rocks thrown up in the air by surrounding vehicles. The best option here will be to keep a distance from other vehicles. When you encounter a snowplough, try not to drive behind it as it drops salt and other granular substance behind that leads to more chips and cracks.
5. Collision at intersection
Intersections are accident-prone zones that one should be careful of. There are plenty of distracted drivers that missed the changing traffic signals before stepping on the accelerator, and even some that don’t actively lookout for other cars before turning in.
To better prepare yourself at intersections, try learning defensive driving that helps to avoid accidents. After equipping yourself with the necessary knowledge, you are now one step closer to a safe driver.
6. Car theft
No matter where the car is parked, there is always a possibility of a break-in. However, we still have to stay vigilant by remembering not to leave any valuables in the car. We don’t want to openly invite thieves to target our vehicle, so instead, keep the valuables in the glove compartment or store them inside the car’s trunk.
7. Backing collision
Backing out from the parking spot can be a challenging task for some. Hence, the best bet you can take if you are not proficient in backing out will be to avoid instances that force you to back up the car. Meaning, try to park at places where you do not have to back up into the congested driveway. Installing a backup camera into your car can be of great assistance and reduce the risk of backing collision too.
However, if the installation of camera is beyond your reach, these are other alternatives that you can take into consideration when backing out:
- Before hopping onto your car, observe your surrounding along with the traffic patterns
- Back out with the shortest, most simple route possible
- Reverse the car in a straight line. Then turn only when the path is clear of parked vehicles and obstructions
- Utilize your mirrors and breaks until you are out of the parking slot and back into the traffic
- Refrain from any distraction while backing out
Conclusion
With a deeper understanding of the types of common car accidents and how to prevent them, the application of these tips will elevate your driving skills from risky to safe driving. Through events like theft are unexpected and beyond our control, it is still important for us to know how to act in these scenarios in the future.
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