There are several rules you need to follow while driving to avoid getting into a serious motor vehicle accident, such as focusing on the road and following all traffic laws. However, your approach to safety actually starts before you take your vehicle on the road.
If you do not take these precautions before you start heading towards the highways, you could increase your risk of getting into an accident in more ways than one.
What should you focus on first?
Here are some of the many actions you should take before you hit the road to prevent a potential:
- Adjust all vehicle controls: From your radio channel and volume to your air conditioner to your GPS, make sure all your controls are the way you want them to be. That way, you don’t have to take your attention away from the road while you’re in motion.
- Adjust your mirrors and seat: If someone else has driven your vehicle recently, they likely changed which way the mirrors are facing and how close the seat is to the steering wheel. Make sure you correct them to your preferences so you can feel comfortable and properly see when cars are coming behind you.
- Turn off your phone or connect it to the car: Cell phones are one of the leading distractions among drivers. By turning off your phone and placing it out of reach, you can eliminate this distraction and enhance your safety. Recent vehicles also allow drivers to connect via Bluetooth, so check to see if your car allows you that option so you can potentially talk to someone hands-free in case someone calls you.
- Talk to your passengers: For example, if you’re traveling with young children in the backseat, let them know that you need to focus on the road. The same holds true of any adults in your vehicle. There’s nothing wrong with conversing while driving, but only if you’re able to focus on the road at the same time.
Even if you take these steps to prevent an accident, the one thing you don’t have control over is other drivers. Someone could run a red light, change lanes without signaling or drive drowsy. All of these things, among many others, could result in an accident.
If you’re injured in a motor vehicle accident, receive treatment, file an insurance claim and take all steps available to protect your legal rights and obtain compensation for damages.