On A Road Trip Your Passenger Can Help Prevent A New Haven Auto Accident

The fall foliage season is upon us and one of the traditional New England things to do is go on a road trip to peep the leaves. This fun activity is made even more enjoyable by riding along with some of your favorite people. Whether friends or family, having passengers in the car with you can make a road trip even more enjoyable. If the passengers are well-versed on being good, safe passengers, it can also go a long way in helping you avoid a New Haven auto accident by taking care of some of the most important things that are required for safe driving.

You may not consider a passenger to be a big component to a safe driving plan, but the truth is that a passenger can play either a good role in keeping the whole care safe or a negative role. If you are driving you should have a conversation with your passenger so they know what your expectations are of the person sitting in the passenger seat and make sure they are ok with that role. Similar to when a flight attendant will talk with the person sitting in an exit row, you should have a conversation with the person sitting in the passenger seat to make sure she/he is ready for the responsibilities that lie ahead.

If you are planning on having a car full of people you may want to have a similar conversation with all of the people who will be driving with you. While the person in the front seat will have the bulk of the responsibilities it may be a good idea for everyone to hear the plan and understand the things you are expecting of them during the road trip. If everyone starts out on the same page there will be limited issues when the road trip ends up being a little longer than expected or the car load of you all gets lost unexpectedly. Everyone will know their role and the ride will continue smoothly without any incident.

What are some of the rules of being a good passenger on a road trip or otherwise?

1.) Buckle up. Everyone in the vehicle, without question, should put on her/his seat belt. If you have someone who gets into the car and refuses this first step you should politely let them know that you require seat belts when riding with you in the car and if they are not able to support that then they will need to stay behind for this particular trip. With over 90% of the population reporting regular seat belt usage you will likely not have any issues here.

2.) Limit distractions. You as the driver should be only focused on the road ahead while your passenger may be able to get away with looking down at her/his phone once in a while or having a bite to eat while the ride is happening. However, the passenger, in order to be a good passenger, should not become consumed with these distractions and should really function as a second set of eyes for you as you are driving. If her/his head is buried in their phone they will not be able to be helpful to you in keeping the car full of people safe.

3.) Be the navigator. One thing that is difficult to do when you’re driving is to follow along with the GPS. This takes your eyes off the road and can lead to a difficult situation. This is why it is important to set the clear expectation of your passenger that she/he will be the navigator for the trip. If addresses need to be added to the road ahead or stops need to be found, they should be the one that performs that function and then they should be consistently following along the path so they can give you advanced warnings of upcoming changes in the road conditions.

There are other things that a passenger can do as well to help avoid a New Haven auto accident and keep everyone in the car safe. If you are the passenger you may want to be on the lookout for hazards along the road and then communicate those hazards clearly to the driver. You should also offer as much support as you can to the driver as she/he needs to remain focused on the road ahead and not be distracted by any unneccesary situations.

If you’re setting out on a fall road trip to do some sight seeing we hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy our beautiful state. If an accident does happen and an injury occurs you may need to speak with an experienced attorney who has seen your situation before. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.