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Most of us get in a car accident sooner or later, but there are ways to avoid the worst crashes. If you read about the most common accidents below and how to prevent them, hopefully, you’ll stay out of trouble on the road. But if the worst happens, you may want to run your case by a personal injury attorney to see if you have a chance.
Rear-End Crashes
Rear-end crashes are one of the most common car accidents in the US. Whether you’re the one who hits the car in front of you or the one who is hit, most of these crashes are avoidable. Here’s how:
- Maintain distance: Always drive far enough away from the vehicle in front of you so you can safely stop. A good rule of thumb is to be at least three seconds behind the car. If the weather goes south, expand that to five seconds.
- Drive strategically: This means staying out of situations that could make you need to slam on the brakes. Don’t follow too close to others, and make sure you can see around the vehicle in front of you. If not, fall back.
- No distractions: Rear-end crashes usually are because of distraction. Avoid this by always focusing on the road when behind the wheel. Never text, take a call, eat, or drink while driving.
- Avoid fatigued driving: Driving when you’re tired is almost as bad as driving drunk.
Intersection Crashes
Intersection crashes happen often. If you’re distracted, it’s easy to miss a stop sign or red light. Another problem is not seeing vehicles turning.
You can avoid these accidents by being a defensive driver. Before you enter an intersection, look both ways to ensure no one is blowing through the red light. Especially watch for people speeding to beat the red light.
Backing Collisions
Not every crash is high speed. Some accidents happen when backing out of your driveway or a parking space. The best way to avoid a backing collision is to back up as little as possible. No matter how careful you are, your vision is reduced when backing up, even if you have a rearview camera. Try to park in ways that you don’t need to back up.
Some tips to avoid backing collisions:
- Before you get in your car, check the area to see how the traffic is.
- When you back out, do it in the shortest, most straightforward way possible.
- Back up straight and don’t turn until you clear the vehicles to your left and right.
More Great Tips To Avoid Car Accidents
Now that you know more about how to avoid the most common accidents, let’s dive into some more ways to prevent accidents:
- Don’t drive in the fast lane: Statistics tell us that most freeway accidents happen in the left lane. Many drivers just drive too fast in the left lane. The quicker you go, the longer it takes to slow down and take evasive action. This means more accidents.
- Avoid assumptions: Assuming another driver will do something is an excellent way to end up in the collision repair shop. Don’t assume that a driver is going to turn right or turn left. This extends to going through intersections: Yes, you have the green, but don’t assume people will stop. Sometimes they don’t!
- Learn to drive better: Many car experts recommend that drivers attend an advanced driving school. You learn what it’s like to drive your car ‘at the limit.’ You’ll also be able to try maneuvers to avoid crashes and learn how to recover from a skid.
- Don’t drive at night: It doesn’t matter if you see like an eagle. Night driving is more challenging because of the reduced visibility. Also, drunk drivers are on the roads much more at night.
- Look ahead: You can avoid many accidents by looking well ahead of where your car is. You often can see trouble coming. Also, keep a good distance behind other vehicles, so you have time to stop if something unexpected happens.
With the above information, you should be able to stay safe on the road!
