Simple Tips To Avoid A New Haven Auto Accident

When you think of avoiding a New Haven auto accident you may think about the major things like your speed and your attention to the road. Of course these things cannot be understated in their importance to keeping you and your passengers safe. There are however other important things you should be thinking about to keep yourself free from an accident.

Anyone who has been driving for a long time will tell you that being a safe driver takes a tremendous amount of mental energy to remember all of the things you should or shouldn’t be doing when you’re behind the wheel. It is good to have a friendly reminder every once in a while so you don’t have to keep everything stored away in your head. While some of these tips may be things that you do instinctively, others may be things that you need a reminder on. So, here is your reminder as we keep an eye on the things that will help you remain safe when you’re driving.

1.) Put your phone away. This is an easy one to say, a harder one to do. While many people keep their phones readily available while driving, this is a mistake. The distraction that comes from an incoming text message or a social media notification can take your eyes away from the road and leave you in danger of getting into an accident.

2.) Pay attention to your following distance. How close you are to the car in front of you can be the difference between getting into a serious accident and avoiding an accident all together. In an ideal situation you should be attempting to maintain a safe distance of about 3 car lengths with the vehicle in front of you.

3.) Scan the road in front of you. While you’re driving your eyes should always be scanning the road in front of you. The closer attention you can pay to the vehicles around you and your surroundings the better chance you’ll have to be able to react quickly when circumstances change.

4.) Drive defensively. You should be prepared to react quickly when someone that you are sharing the road with acts in an unexpected way. Whether the person in front of you slams on their brakes unexpectedly or the driver in the lane next to you suddenly swerves into your lane you should be ready for any eventuality.

5.) Adjust your driving to the conditions of the road. If it is raining out you may need to slow down. If you are in stop and go traffic you will want to continue to keep your safe distance from the vehicles in front of you. If you’re driving in an unfamiliar area you will want to pay close attention to signage and road signals.

6.) Whenever possible keep your headlights on. Of course at night you need to have your headlights on, but even during the day headlights can give you better visibility to the cars that you are sharing the road with and if they can see you more clearly you will remain safe.

7.) Avoid road rage. The worst thing you can do in a stressful situation is to make it even more stressful by reacting in an angry or rage filled way. If you can take a few deep breaths and remain calm you will be better positioned to calmly react to the situation at hand.

While not all of these tips apply to all situations you should be aware of each of them so that in the event that you are faced with a particular situation you know how to handle it. Taking proactive steps to learn and understand the best ways to engage with the road, your vehicle and others who you are sharing with will result in a safer environment for you and will likely make your chances of getting into a New Haven auto accident slightly lower. Anytime the chances of an accident are reduced you are doing your job as a safe driver.

When an accident happens it can be scary and you can be uncertain as to what you should do. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.