The 3 Most Important Rules for Driver Safety

Safety rules can reduce injuries and fatalities on the road

When it comes to driver safety, drivers and passengers draw the line in different places. After years of bending the rules without incident, it can become difficult to then convince someone the driving rules they follow should change. Even so, traffic accidents continue to trend in the wrong direction. So, what safety rules can more people follow to increase the likelihood of making it from Point A to Point B without incident?

Address Distractions and Impairment

Ask anyone about impaired or distracted driving and phone usage will come up. Cell phones remain one of the most common sources of distraction among drivers, but it is not the only one. People also become distracted by passengers or by trying to multitask. Some activities people attempt while driving that may lead to accidents include drinking hot coffee, putting on makeup or handling children and pets.

Impaired driving often leads to conversations about driving under the influence of alcohol. With many states now legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana, law enforcement has expressed some concern about people driving while under the influence of “weed” and other drugs. It’s important to remember that there are other perfectly legal types of drugs that can lead to impaired driving, such as antihistamines. In fact, drowsy driving is another deadly type of impairment.

Learn to resist the phone. Use built-in features and apps to silence it when driving. Also, make responsible decisions about recreational drug use and alcohol use when you need to drive.

Leave Early and Check the Route

Speeding alone killed nearly 9,400 people, in 2018, says the NHTSA. When people get up late, the desire to rush to the destination to avoid being late increases. If the final destination involves work, classes or an important event, the desire to rush increases tenfold.

Not checking the traffic reports is another common reason people end up speeding. Consider, for instance, someone who encounters a 30-minute gridlock of traffic because of an accident that occurred an hour before. Once freed from traffic, the person might feel tempted to speed to get to work on time.

The best way to prevent speeding is to get adequate sleep and get up early. Then, check the route and leave early enough so that you have time to make it to your destination at regular speeds. If you suspect you might be late for reasons beyond your control, pull over and make a call or send a text.

Wear Your Seat Belt

Without a doubt, seat belts can be uncomfortable. They can be especially uncomfortable for people with long hair or may be too big or too tall to wear a seatbelt. Despite these common complaints, wearing seat belts plays a crucial role in saving lives. In 2016, the NHTSA estimates that seat belts saved a whopping 15,000 lives.

Hundreds of unrestrained drivers are injured or killed each year in crashes on our roads. You’re more than four times more likely to die during a car crash if you’re not wearing a seat belt.

No driving safety rule can guarantee that someone never becomes involved in an accident, however rules and guidelines are provided for good reason – they can help protect you and your family from serious injury.

At Giroux Pappas Trial Attorneys, our team of experienced personal injury attorneys takes pride in treating every client like a member of their own family because we understand that when your loved one is suffering they need a strong voice to help navigate them through the legal process and we won’t stop until we get the right result for you. If you’ve been in a car accident and you need to speak with an attorney about your case do not hesitate to contact us, we are here to answer any questions you may have. The consultation is free.