Even though it’s largely up to governments to implement infrastructure to make streets safer for all users, motorists can do their part as well. In fact, drivers may hold the keys to drastically reducing the number of injuries that drivers and passengers sustain on the roads. The professionals at Boland Romaine Personal Injury Lawyers offer these five ways motorists can make the roads safer.
Always Wear a Seatbelt
It almost seems too simple, but properly wearing a seatbelt is the single best action you can take to make your journey safer. By buckling up before every drive or ride, drivers and front seat passengers reduce their risk of death by 45% and their risk of serious injury by 50%. If you’re driving a light truck or a passenger in the backseat of a car, you reduce your risk of death by 60% and risk of serious injury by 65%. Backseat passengers in light trucks and SUVs reduce their risk of death and injury by 70%.
Slow Down
There’s an old adage that speed kills, but it’s not a myth. The faster you are going in a vehicle, the less time you have to stop, which increases your chances of a collision with another vehicle or object. It’s basic physics, but people are often in a rush to get where they’re going, so they press down on the gas pedal a little more. Moreover, speeding makes the impact of a collision worse as well, which means more severe injuries and even death.
Avoid Distractions
There used to be a time when driving was the main focus point when in a motor vehicle. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. With technology like cell phones, the proliferation of fast food restaurants that allow eating while driving, and hundreds of other distractions both in the car and outside of it, drivers often seem to be multitasking instead of just paying attention to the one activity that could result in a major injury or death: driving. Hang up the phone, don’t eat until you’ve stopped, and learn to tune out other distractions that take your mind off the road.
Get Your Eyes Tested
While you have to take an eye test every time before you renew your license, it’s not mandatory to have them checked every year. But, maybe it should be. Your eyes are probably the most critical sense you have when driving, as you constantly scan for potential hazards, read road signs, and pay attention to lights and signals. Experts recommend that you get your eyes checked for vision and medical problems once a year and to always wear any corrective lenses you are prescribed when driving. If you think you’re having trouble seeing, get to an eye doctor right away.
Be Courteous
Driving is not a contest and it’s not a race. Everyone is trying their best to get where they need to go, so make it easier on them by letting another driver go first at a four-way stop sign, leaving room for someone to change lanes, and simply following the rules of the road.
Conclusion
With more people on the roads now than ever before, it’s necessary for all motorists to do what they can to make the streets safer. These five actions will get you started.
