The car accident news stories are daunting. Every night, you can find plenty of examples of people getting into accidents they never expected. These are people just like you. They crash while driving to work, to school or to the grocery store. They never thought it would happen to them, but then they end up in the hospital.
You want to avoid it at all costs, but can you? The news stories make it feel impossible, as if you just have to hope you’re lucky. While there is an element of luck to it, there are also a few things you can do to increase your odds of avoiding an accident.
1. Put yourself in a safe position
You don’t want to depend on other drivers. Give them space and keep yourself in a safe position. Never tailgate. You have to know that these other drivers will make mistakes. You can’t stop that, but you can make sure that the mistakes don’t cause you to crash, too. Give yourself space and time to react.
2. Assume people will break traffic laws
The traffic laws govern what people are supposed to do, but that’s not always the same as what they really do. A traffic light, for instance, is just a light. Yes, a green light means you have the right of way, but people run red lights all the time. Look out for them. Double-check to make sure you’re safe. Do not depend on stop signs and lights; they won’t prevent an accident.
3. Be kind
Many accidents happen because drivers are just not courteous to one another. This leads to aggressive driving and road rage. Instead, be kind. Let people merge in front of you. Give them space to enter the road when you’re waiting at a red light. If someone makes a mistake, don’t get angry. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Don’t escalate a situation.
4. Become a defensive driver
One of your goals, while you drive, should be to avoid all accidents. Of course, everyone says they want to do this, but few people make it a priority. Instead, they prioritize things like making good time or finding the fastest route. Every time you leave your house, your focus should be on safety. Nothing else matters as much. If you become a good defensive driver, you remain alert and ready to react to protect yourself, your family and anyone else in the car.
Your options
These four tips can help you avoid accidents, injuries, medical bills and much more. But nothing guarantees you won’t get injured. If you do, and if another driver caused that crash, make sure you know what legal options you have in Florida.