Practicing safety while on the road can greatly reduce your risk of ending up in a car accident. While we can’t prevent everything from happening, there are certain precautions you can take as a driver or rider to help support a safe trip. With summer upon us, many will be traveling for vacation or to visit family and friends. With more cars on the road comes more risk of car accidents. If you do get in a car accident, you want to have a car accident doctor who specializes in these kinds of injuries so you can get the care you deserve. But here are a few things you can do when heading out on a summer road trip to help avoid a trip to the doctor:
Beware of Distracted Drivers
Unfortunately, there are many distracted drivers on the roads. Whether they are distracted by other passengers in the car or handheld devices like cell phones, distracted drivers are much more likely to get into a car accident. Distracted drivers cause accidents because even a moment of distraction can lead to less reaction time or keep them from spotting a potential issue or accident altogether. If you notice a driver swerving into lanes or not paying attention with their eyes on the road, then it is best to get out of the way of this kind of driver in case they end up harming you or others. You also want to make sure you aren’t the distracted driver and have a safe and helpful space for your cell phone to go where you can see it if you need directions but won’t be too distracted by it in your hands.
Avoid High Traffic Times
Summertime brings many holidays to celebrate, which also means lots of high traffic times in many cities and areas popular for vacationing. In addition to avoiding rush hour during the weekdays, you want to pay attention to these times where high traffic is to be expected, like the Friday of a four-day weekend. Weekends become high traffic times in the summer, which means there is more potential for poor drivers and distracted drivers on the road. In addition, high traffic can lead to more accidents when people get frustrated and make risky moves to avoid more delays. If you can, plan your trip around anticipated high traffic days by leaving a day early for a popular holiday or coming home a day later. When you plan ahead around these high traffic times you can ensure safer rides for you and your family.
Check the Weather Forecast
When planning for a trip, check the weather around the time you plan to leave so that you can anticipate the type of driving situation. If there are heavy rains or storms expected then you may want to leave earlier or delay until later. Rain and storms can make precarious situations for drivers on the road, especially when there are more people driving on summer road trips and to and from family vacations. Many people try to plan driving during the evening hours to avoid traffic or for other reasons, but actually, there is much more frequent nighttime driving during the summer. The combination of dark roads, sleepiness after a long day, and the potential for bad weather can make for bad driving circumstances.
Schedule Regular Vehicle Maintenance
Before you head out on a summer road trip or for a vacation, be sure to schedule regular maintenance for your car. Get the air topped off in the tires, have the oil and other fluids checked, and you will feel more at ease about taking a long drive with family in the car. Regular maintenance throughout the year will help keep your vehicle functioning properly and also help you to avoid mechanical issues, especially when you are far from home. The last thing anyone wants is to break down on the side of the road when the issue could have been handled before setting out.
Practice Safe Driving and Riding
Ensure you and your passengers all practice safe driving and riding in the car. Remind everyone of the importance of wearing their seat belt, even when settling in for a long drive ahead. When you practice these safety habits, you can help protect yourself and one another in the event that a car accident does occur and you can avoid common car accident injuries. And always have a car accident doctor that you can trust to take care of your injuries and support you through your treatment and recovery. Our car accident doctors at AICA Orthopedics are here for you and have multiple locations throughout metro Atlanta.
