Tips To Prevent Florida Drivers From Causing Auto Accidents
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), 341,399 motor vehicle crashes happened within the state in 2020 — an average of 933 crashes per day. No one can ever predict when an accident will happen, but there are precautions you can take to reduce the risks to you, your passengers, and everyone on the road. Here are 5 tips to prevent you from causing an auto accident.
Put Your Cell Phone Away
Distracted driving is one of the main causes of car accidents. The main culprit is using a cell phone — drivers assume it’s harmless to take their eyes off the road for 5 seconds to respond to a text message. What they don’t realize is that if they’re going at 55 mph, they’re driving the length of an entire football field within those 5 seconds. Avoid using your phone while driving, even in “hands-free” mode.
Don’t Go Over the Speed Limit
Speed limits exist for a good reason and that’s to allow drivers an appropriate amount of time to react to any incoming collisions and lessen the impact of crashes when they do happen. It also allows drivers to safely navigate adverse road or weather conditions. Speeding is an unfortunately common behavior on the road — 26% of all traffic fatalities in 2019 involved speeding, resulting in the death of 9,478 people. If you encounter a speeding vehicle on the road, do your best to steer out of the way and give them plenty of space.
Get a Full Night (or Day) of Sleep
Most people can likely attest to feeling a little drowsy while driving and believing that they could just blast music or drink some caffeine to perk themselves up. This isn’t a safe practice. If your body is truly fatigued, you may still experience “microsleeps” or brief losses of consciousness — that’s four or five seconds you’re unconscious at the wheel. Ideally, you should get at least seven to eight hours of sleep per day to prevent drowsy driving. If you feel yourself falling asleep at the wheel, the best practice is to pull over and take a short nap.
Don’t Drink (or Smoke) and Drive
Drinking, smoking marijuana, or taking other drugs are all activities that significantly impair your judgment and coordination. You could cross lanes of traffic, lose sight of pedestrians in front of you, or even hit a vehicle head-on. Aside from posing a significant risk to safety, it is also illegal. Always avoid driving while impaired — in 2019, 10,142 people lost their lives as the result of a drunk driving accident. Instead of attempting to drive yourself, call an Uber, a taxi, or a friend to drive you.
Don’t Eat and Drive
While eating a burger may not seem as hazardous as getting drunk, it poses a risk while driving all the same. This is because it takes your full attention away from the road. Eating, dressing up, applying makeup, fiddling with the stereo, talking to passengers — these are all seemingly harmless behaviors that could cause a car accident.
Injured in an Accident? Call Avard Law Offices Today
While preventing accidents is preferable, sometimes they still occur. If you were injured in a car accident because of someone’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Avard Law Offices for a free consultation at 239-945-0808. Our attorneys serve the areas of Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Port Charlotte, Naples, and more.