Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog
It’s always a good idea to know the basics of preventing traffic accidents in Tamarac and other South Florida cities. While we all want to drive safely and prevent car accidents, we don’t need to know little-known hacks to do so. Often, it’s a good grasp of the basics of the road and the application of those rules that makes the biggest impact.
If you want to prevent collisions, make sure you follow these basics:
1) Stick to the speed limit.
About 30% of fatal car collisions involve cars driving above the posted speed limit. When you speed, you have a harder time maintaining control of your car. You also have far less time to respond to dangers, such as a child running into the road or a piece of debris in the middle of your lane. You become an instantly safer driver when you drive at the speed limit and slow down.
2) Have several plans to avoid drunk driving.
About 40% of car crashes involving fatalities involve alcohol. There are several reasons why drunk driving continues to exist despite numerous awareness campaigns. One problem is that many people mistakenly assume they are fine to drive after drinking. If you have had even a few drinks, your judgment and motor skills are affected and you’re unsafe behind the wheel. “Buzzed” driving is still drunk driving, and can easily lead to a car crash.
Another problem is that people assume that driving is a better alternative because they don’t have other options in place. It’s a good idea to have several solutions for getting home sober so you can make a good choice. This can mean having a designated driver as well as money to call a cab as well as a list of friends you can call. Having alternatives makes it easier to choose the right one.
Another risk factor has to do with the nature of drinking itself. The more alcohol people consume, the more their judgment is impaired. When someone’s judgment is impaired due to alcohol they may feel they are fine to drink, even if in a sober state they would recognize that they shouldn’t. It’s important to have friends or someone looking out for you to ensure you don’t make a mistake. Another option is to leave your car at home when you go to an event where you know there will be alcohol. This removes the temptation entirely.
3) Talk to your kids and elderly family members about safe driving
People under 24 years old and people over 65 years old are the age groups most likely to be severely injured by car crashes. In fact, car accidents are the leading cause of fatalities for those who are 34 and below. Since the young and the elderly are most likely to be affected by car accidents, it’s important to take steps to protect your younger and older family members. Talk to children about proper safety belt use and about safe driving. If you have teenagers, urge them to get good drivers’ education classes and even extra classes to develop safer driving skills.
If you have seniors in your household, encourage them to get assessed and to get rehabilitation driving support if they are needed due to changes in vision or mobility. Make sure they visit their doctor regularly so if there is a medical problem which prevents them from driving safely they can get treatment or develop a secondary plan to stay safe on the roads.
4) Wear your seatbelt.
In about half of car crash fatalities across the United States, victims were not wearing seatbelts at the time of their collision. Seatbelts keep passengers from being thrown from the vehicle and help keep them from being thrown around as much in the event of a collision, preventing head injuries and internal injuries. It takes only a few seconds to put on your seatbelt but it can save your life. If your passengers are children, make sure they use an age-appropriate child safety seat.
If you have been injured by negligent or unsafe driver in Tamarac or South Florida, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation. Our attorneys in South Florida would be happy to consult with you about your situation.