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Car Safety Basics

Closeup of car accident

While cars are in many ways becoming more and more safety-focused as advances in technology make it possible to incorporate features like automatic braking, rearview cameras, and adaptive cruise control, there are some basics of car safety that individuals frequently ignore, either because they aren’t aware of the need for certain safety measures, or because they feel that their safer cars will compensate for their unsafe behaviors and habits. However, maintaining safe driving and riding habits in a car can make a huge difference in a way that all of the safety features currently available in cars are simply not able to provide. Instead of dealing with the downfall of a car accident, and having to hire a Delray Beach personal injury attorney, you should consider taking steps to prevent an accident.

One of the safest habits that you can develop and maintain as a driver is the consistent wearing of a seat belt. Many scoff at the idea that seat belts save lives, but when used in conjunction with other safety features like air bags, seat belts are absolutely vital. It is also important to keep in consideration that very young children should not be in the range of many passenger airbags, as their lack of height and other factors mean that passenger-side airbags can seriously injure or even kill them. Parents of young children should instill in them the habit of wearing seat belts whenever the car is running—not just when the car is in motion; because even when the car is stopped, an accident can occur from another vehicle striking.

Another basic safety precaution to avoid a car accident occurring is to avoid any and all distractions. If you have a passenger riding with you, give them control of the stereo and ask them to answer any calls that come in, or send any messages that need to be sent out. Recent studies have shown that cell phones have been involved in approximately 25% of all car accidents in the past several years. That number is likely to go up as more and more individuals adopt the mobile device as their primary method for accessing the internet and communicating with others. There are some car insurance companies that offer applications for phones that, when activated, inform anyone attempting to contact the driver that the user will contact them after they have reached their destination, in addition to disabling distracting programs such as email and social media. Many states’ departments of highway safety recommend that drivers teach themselves to only take their eyes from the road for one or two seconds at a time—no more than that or the risk of a car accident increases hugely.

Finally, keeping your car clean may be a surprising safety measure, but it is a valid one; keeping items contained in your car can prevent them from flying around when you experience a car accident, which will minimize any injuries you might receive. In addition, having a great deal of litter inside of your car increases the possibility that it will cause a distraction by flying up when accelerating or braking; or interfering with your control of the car—for example, a piece of trash that gets stuck under the brake pedal can prevent the driver from stopping adequately to avoid an accident. By following a few basic safety guidelines, you can avoid having to hire a car accident attorney.

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