Three Little Things You Can Do to Reduce Auto Accidents
Do you know that there are three things that will drastically reduce your chances of getting into a car accident? We’re going to tell you what they are, but only you can make them habits.
- Stay off of your electronic devices. We all know that distracted driving can be dangerous and even deadly, yet many continue to text, eat, or talk on the phone while driving. Paying attention to the road is simply the best way you can stay safe.
- Leave yourself space. You should leave four-to-six seconds between you and the vehicle in front of you. Identify a stationary object like a sign or a tree and wait until the vehicle in front of you has passed that object and count one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand… until your vehicle comes to the object. Leaving this cushion should give you enough room to stop or maneuver as needed without striking the other vehicle. Remember that adverse weather conditions require you to add more of a time cushion. You should be leaving six-to-eight seconds when the roads are slick and wet.
- Back into parking stalls. Whenever possible, you should back into parking spots. You have a better view of where you are backing into, and when you leave, everything is in front of you.
That’s it. Considering that 65 percent of CoolSys’ at-fault auto accidents involve rear-ending the vehicle in front of us (following too closely or distracted driving) and hitting stationary fixed objects, these little changes can make a big difference in reducing your risk of an auto accident.