Each year, thousands of people are injured in rear-end collisions. The harm caused by these accidents can be extensive, too. You could be left with a head or neck injury that causes extreme limitations to your mobility, and the pain and suffering you experience can be debilitating. In addition, accident injuries can leave you with emotional turmoil and excessive financial losses. These are outcomes you want to avoid.
But what can you do to keep yourself safe from these types of accidents? Let’s take a closer look so that you can protect your well-being as much as possible out on the road.
Steps you can take to reduce the risk of a rear-end collision
It may not seem like it, but there’s actually a lot that you can do to minimize your risk of being injured in a rear-end accident. This includes doing the following:
- Keeping a safe following distance: Most rear-end accidents occur when the following vehicle hasn’t given themselves enough space to come to a complete stop when the vehicle in front of them slows or slams on the brakes. Therefore, you can significantly decrease your risk of a rear-end collision by keeping at least three seconds between yourself and the vehicle in front of you.
- Staying alert: Awareness is key to avoiding all car accidents. So, eliminate distractions by putting your cellphone away while driving, and be cognizant of the traffic and road conditions around you. The more distractions you can reduce, the better.
- Using your mirrors: By regularly checking your mirrors, you become more aware of your surroundings and any pending hazards. This could allow you to slow for any identified risk factors, thereby reducing the risk of being involved in an accident. If a driver tailgates you, then checking your mirrors will let you know that you should move over to let them pass.
- Using your signals: If you don’t signal your intentions, then your movements might take other drivers by surprise. You certainly don’t want to do that, as it increases your risk of crashing or being hit by another driver. So, be diligent about using your signal when turning or changing lanes so that you don’t create a rear-end collision.
- Following the speed limit: Many rear-end collisions are speed related. Drivers who fail to adhere to the speed limit can struggle to slow and stop for slow or stopped traffic in front of them. To reduce your risk, then, be sure to follow the speed limit and slow down to account for dangerous road conditions, hazards, and slowed traffic.
- Having escape routes: If you want to minimize your chances of being involved in an accident, then you need to be as defensive as possible. One way to effectively do this is to plan escape routes and modify them as your surroundings change. If you can do so, then you leave yourself an out when the vehicle in front of you suddenly slams on the brakes.
What should you do if you’ve been involved in an accident caused by someone else?
First, seek medical care. Then, document everything and determine whether the crash was caused by the other driver’s negligence. If it was, then you’re justified in taking legal action against them. And doing so could lead to the recovery of compensation.
