Over the years, cars have become safer in the sense of affording more protection to drivers and passengers. In New Jersey and, generally, throughout the country, highways have statistically fewer accidents. Nonetheless, there are numerous vehicle collisions each day, and although, thankfully, most are minor in nature, some cause serious injury or worse. While the typical driver thinks the ‘other guy” poses the primary danger of causing an accident, every person who gets behind the wheel should consider basic safety driving techniques.
For a little perspective, although the number of accidents are declining, safety experts report 40,000 Americans each year lose their lives on our nation’s roadways. Anything any driver can do to reduce that number even further is well worth the effort. Although it may seem unnecessary to mention, some of the primary tips the experts recommend to reduce accidents are quite simple — keep hands on the steering wheel, don’t use a cell phone when driving and never drink and drive. Just heeding these three tips alone would significantly lower accident rates.
Another piece of advice is something many individuals may not associate with driving safety. However, keeping a vehicle in safe operating condition, primarily by having regular, scheduled maintenance performed, is the best way to avoid malfunctions while driving. Too often, malfunctions, such as a tire blowout or sudden engine failure, lead directly to crashes. Finally, acting courteously towards other drivers not only reduces a person’s stress level by driving calmly, but doing so also makes it less likely other drivers will respond negatively. Many incidents of road rage are precipitated by a perceived slight by one driver towards another.
Ultimately, whatever safe driving practices should be followed, if a driver acts negligently in a specific instance that results in injury to another, that person may be liable for the damages. An experienced personal injury lawyer can offer advice and assistance to someone who has been involved in an auto accident.