The Dangers Of Driving A Car And How To Avoid Them

Multitudes of people across the world depend on their cars to get through each day, whether it’s for work or personal reasons. Accidents are sadly a fact of life, and car drivers are not exempt from them.

It may be that you are a road user, and are interested to learn more about this subject. If that’s the case this article will fill you in on the dangers of car driving, and also provide you with some strategies to avoid them.

What Are The Dangers?

Not only could you be hurt in the event of an accident, but so could the occupants of your car – whether they are family or friends. Added to that, when cars get out of control other drivers become involved, and so do pedestrians. The results could be people experiencing ongoing health problems, or even unlawful death as a result of driver negligence. In many cases, you’ll need a car accident lawyer to help you.

The internet provides a great deal of information on this subject if you search for specialist websites. You can learn about car accident rates and the perils of speeding, inexperienced drivers, and multi-car collisions. There’s information on everything from hit and run incidents to rollover accidents, and from psychological injuries to uninsured car crashes.

Adverse Weather

If the weather conditions make the roads slippery, slow down. This is especially important if you are driving on rain-slicked or snow-covered streets.

In foggy conditions, many drivers speed up, but this isn’t a good idea as it decreases their visibility. Fog reduces the effectiveness of car headlights, which makes seeing pedestrians very difficult. When there are no street lights visible, turn on your fog lights – they will help other cars see where you’re going.

Tiredness

It is important to take regular breaks on long trips and to get plenty of rest before beginning a journey. If you don’t you could become sleepy, lose concentration and focus, and risk falling asleep at the wheel.

Before you go on long trips, plan the rest breaks and make sure you stop at each location for at least thirty minutes.

You can see the difference between gross negligence vs recklessness but the bottom line is don’t drive when you’re tired. It isn’t worth risking your life or the lives of others on the road.

Distractions

Car drivers often get distracted by the radio, conversations with other people in the car, or the scenery. Some more examples are eating and drinking at the wheel, self-grooming (using the rear mirror to do it), looking for road signs, or reading maps.

You can’t focus on two things at the same time, so keep your eyes firmly fixed on the road ahead.

Alcohol Or Drugs

Alcohol affects your brain function, thus impairing your ability to drive safely. It reduces your powers of concentration and your capacity to react quickly, whilst at the same time making you feel overconfident in your driving.

If you plan on drinking at a social event, either book a taxi or go with friends. Never take drugs (including medication that will make you drowsy) and drive your car, for similar reasons.

Smartphones

Try putting your phone on airplane mode before your journey, so you don’t receive calls and messages whilst you are driving. This will reduce the temptation to hold the phone with one hand and take calls, send texts or view social media.

If you need to take calls whilst you are driving, you may find hands-free kits useful. Whilst it would stop you from illegally holding a mobile phone, it would still impair your levels of concentration to a certain extent.

Faulty Cars

Be sure to maintain your car well, and never miss the annual service. It is important that your tires are checked regularly to make sure that they have enough tread left on them to safely grip the road. Brakes should also be tested every year or two because over time the brake pads will wear out and need replacing. When this happens you lose braking power, which could result in an accident. The same goes for your car’s oil: without regular oil changes your engine may suffer serious damage due to lack of lubrication, and it could seize up while you are driving. Finally, don’t forget about routine servicing like changing the air filter.

General Issues

It’s also dangerous for drivers to break the road rules, for instance by speeding or running red lights. Roads can present their own dangers too if there is poor lighting, potholes, loose gravel, or overhanging trees.

As you can see, driving is not the safest activity in the world, but with the right behavior and practices, you will be more protected. Both your responsible driving and the excellent condition of your car will help protect you from many of the hazards that so frequently appear.