When it comes to road safety, caution and responsibility are key. You have a responsibility not only for your own health and well-being but also for all of the other road users. It is very important that when you are behind the wheel, you do everything in your power to ensure that accidents are prevented and everyone around you is safe and well. We will provide some top tips for road safety and explain why they are crucial. But first, we will address what to do when you are in an accident that is not your fault.
Know Your Rights
We will provide top tips that everyone should keep in mind for road safety, but first, we should acknowledge that some accidents occur even when you are doing everything right. This is because you cannot account for other people’s mistakes or misjudgements.
So, before we dive into our top tips for road safety, let’s first address what happens if you are involved in an accident that is not your fault. Say there was a problem with the road, another driver’s reckless or negligent behavior caused an accident, or you were driving a work vehicle that was deemed fit for the road but had a fault. You could be entitled to compensation.
In this eventuality, you should gather evidence of the incident that demonstrates where the fault lies, visit a doctor and keep all incident reports and medical files. Then, contact a lawyer to discuss your personal injury case. As stated by AttorneyNC, serious accidents often lead to serious losses. These losses include lost income, medical bills, pain, suffering, disability and property damage, among others. A great lawyer can help you win compensation for your emotional, physical and financial damages.
Now, let’s look at the best ways to keep yourself safe on the road.
Wear Your Seatbelt Properly
While every road user out there technically knows that this is the law, and a great piece of safety advice, it still goes ignored very often. People either forgo wearing their seatbelts entirely or else wear them incorrectly, under their arms. Both of these choices can lead to serious injuries and even death. Wearing your seatbelt reduces your risk of serious injury in a crash by 45% and more than halves your risk of fatal injury.
What’s more, wearing your seatbelt incorrectly can lead to terrible damages, such as head, back and neck injuries and will increase your chances of death in an accident. If you know that simply clicking a belt into a buckle can double your chances of surviving a car crash, why would you decide against it? Be sensible, and wear your seatbelt properly.
Only Overtake When It Is Safe
One of the most reckless things a driver can do on the road is to overtake dangerously because they are impatient. Dangerous overtaking involves overtaking on a blind spot, such as on bends or on a hill, overtaking when cars are approaching on the other side of the road, or pushing your vehicle to a dangerously high speed to get past the car in front. This is a particularly reckless decision to make because speeding is the second most common cause of traffic accidents.
The act of undertaking, that is overtaking on the left, is also dangerous unless you are on a congested multi-lane highway in which the left lane is moving faster. Otherwise, undertaking is not permitted and can cause serious accidents. If you cause an accident by overtaking on the left, you will be at fault for the incident.
Never Drive Under the Influence
Last but certainly not least, never drink or do drugs and drive. This is one of the most dangerous and common causes of accidents. It is vital that you know the local laws for legal blood alcohol levels and that you never surpass them while behind the wheel. When in doubt, just do not drink at all. In fact, this is safer, as technically any level of alcohol in the blood can impair your judgment and reaction times.
Hopefully, this brief guide to road safety has reminded you of the importance of wearing your seatbelt properly, only overtaking when it is safe and never driving drunk or intoxicated. These tips can save your life as well as the lives of the other people in your car and your fellow road users. While we have all heard these pieces of advice before, it is imperative to keep reminding yourself why they are so important, otherwise, they can be overlooked. When you find yourself in an accident that is not your fault, gather evidence and contact a personal injury lawyer. You could be entitled to compensation.
