The joy of driving is something that many of us look forward to as we grow older. Most people remember their first car and that first time they took it out on the road. The fun of driving aside, it’s also quite practical. While there are many ride-hailing apps these days, driving to your destination is always less time-consuming. Unfortunately, driving can turn into a nightmare if you cross paths with reckless drivers. Even if you drive safely and follow traffic rules, there is always someone who doesn’t. Here are some tips to protect yourself from reckless drivers.
- Be Mindful of the Road
The more you drive, the more it becomes second nature. While it is not recommended, a lot of people can multitask as they drive, speaking on the phone, eating, drinking, and doing all sorts of things–it wouldn’t be surprising if you find someone knitting on a long drive. Needless to say, this is not safe. The best way to protect yourself from reckless drivers is to be very mindful of the road. Even if it’s your daily commute, you still need to be alert. You have to be able to act quickly on the road if you spot a reckless driver, which will not happen if you are too absentminded while driving.
So, in short, when you are driving, focus on just that. If you have an urgent phone call to make, pull over and make it. There is absolutely no reason for you to engage in a heated conversation while driving. Hungry? Take a few minutes to enjoy your burger. The more mindful you are of the road, the more able you will be to protect yourself from reckless drivers.
- Lawyer Up
Unfortunately, even if you take every possible precaution, there is always a chance that you will still get into a car accident. At the end of the day, you are not alone on the road, and you cannot control other drivers’ actions. However, you can control how you react to such incidents. As explained on Just Call Moe, the first thing that you need to do after a serious car accident is to call an experienced car accident attorney. Insurance claims after car accidents can be quite painful, especially for a person reeling from injuries or loss of property. This is why it helps that you have attorneys by your side that have experience in building this kind of case and can help you get fair compensation.
Moreover, after a car accident, it is more than likely that you could forget the very important fact that car accidents aren’t just about dealing with personal injuries and loss of property. There are also lost wages and future medical bills that you need to take into consideration. A professional car accident attorney will be mindful of all these angles and will make your life much easier.
- Choose Your Timing
Apparently, driving in rush hours often leads to an increased risk of car accidents. A survey by Autoblog Canada revealed that almost a quarter of drivers get worked up during rush hours. It makes sense if you think about it. People don’t like being detained in traffic. This can lead to agitated behavior and road rage, which often lead to accidents. People get aggressive with their driving during traffic and anxiously try to maneuver their way through cars to get to where they are going as fast as possible. It doesn’t make sense since you’ll most likely only save a couple of minutes with such aggressive driving if any, but it happens nonetheless. This is why it is recommended that you avoid rush hours whenever possible. Instead of leaving the office at peak traffic hours, hang on for half an hour or so. It will make your ride faster and probably safer.
- Account for Other Drivers’ Recklessness
While it is always best in life to assume the best intentions in people, when it comes to driving, it is always wiser to assume the worst. You have no idea what the person driving next to you is like. So, play it safe. Always leave a safe space between you and the next vehicle. You never know when they could floor the brakes all of a sudden. Leaving a safe space between your car and theirs gives you room to react if something like that happens. Experts also recommend gently tapping the brakes when you notice the car behind you getting too close. This will notify the driver that they are tailgating and they should leave some distance.
- Don’t Take it Personally
It’s easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment and take other drivers’ behavior personally, which is always a bad idea. If another driver does something reckless or stupid, don’t go around chasing them to express your agitation and curse at them. It will lead to nothing good and would just be jeopardizing yourself as well as others to danger. The other driver who swerved too suddenly or hit the brakes without much thought didn’t do it to personally antagonize you, so it’s smart to avoid getting too angry, especially since the accident was avoided. Detach yourself, it will make driving much easier for you.
- Take Safety Precautions
One of the best things to do to protect yourself from reckless drivers is to always be safe on the road. Never drive without putting your seatbelt on, even if it’s just for a supermarket run. Seatbelts save lives. Always have a first-aid kit in your car as well as a working fire extinguisher. Safety precautions also extend to the rules of the road. Stay away from other drivers’ blind spots because you don’t know if they are cautious enough to check their mirrors before making sudden turns.
Staying safe and protecting yourself from reckless drivers starts with your own actions. Always account for other people’s absentmindedness or recklessness on the road, and you will start being more mindful of how you drive. You should also have the contact information of experienced car accident lawyers on you in case the worst should happen. You will need their help if you ever get into an accident.
How bad is a reckless driving charge?
Reckless driving is a criminal offense. In most states, it is a misdemeanor and penalties is up to $1000 and form 90 days to a year imprisonment. A felony reckless driving can involve substantially more penalties.
What are some examples of reckless driving?
Excessive speeding. Going too fast for road or weather conditions. Changing lanes too often when there is substantial traffic. Running a light or stop sign. Not signalling when passing or using the shoulder to pass someone.
What are the dangers of reckless driving?
Aside from the physical consequences, there is significant legal liability. Reckless driving causes thousands of deaths and injuries each year. Penalties are much more significant than for a typical moving violation.
