Maryland Traffic Accident Lawyers

Safety Tips for Driving A Car

There are more than 6 million car accidents in the United States every year. The numbers show that someone is injured by a car crash every 14 seconds. These crashes lead to more than 40,000 fatalities a year, or one every 12 minutes. With over 25 percent of all drivers being involved in a car crash within a five- year period, it's pretty clear that you or a loved one has a good chance of some day being involved in an accident. While it is impossible to ensure that other drivers are being safe, it is possible to change your own habits to lessen your chances of being in an accident.

• Slow down - Thirty percent of all fatal accidents happen when one driver is excessively speeding.
• Pay attention - Distracted driving is a growing danger in America. The most rapidly growing form of distracted driving comes from using hand-held cell phones and texting.
• Put away the cell phone - It is illegal to text or talk without a hands-free device in Maryland. While some states only have secondary texting laws, Maryland has a primary texting law, meaning that law enforcement officials can pull you over just for texting. This is a reaction to the growing problem of accidents caused by drivers looking at their phone and not watching the road. This is most common among younger drivers. If your child is starting to drive, make sure they know the dangers and consequences of distracted driving in all its forms.
• Wear your seat belt - Statistics show beyond doubt that seatbelts do save lives. Roughly 50 percent of deaths and injuries could have been prevented by wearing a seatbelt, studies show.
• Maintain your distance - The rule used to be to leave two car lengths between you. The new way to help visualize how much space is to leave two seconds between you and the car ahead of you. When they pass something, count to two and then you should be crossing it. In adverse weather conditions, leave even more room as it will be harder to brake.
• Know how to drive while skidding - If you over-steer (fishtail) or under-steer (plowing) your vehicle is turning out of your control. Do not attempt to turn with the skid. Instead, point your wheel in the direction you want them to go and counter steer however your car is skidding to bring them back facing the way you want. Overreacting to a dangerous situation may cause your car to rollover or cause a collision with another vehicle.

Clearly, this is only the beginning of safety tips to consider. The more you practice safe driving the more it will become a habit. If you are ever in an accident where someone else is at fault, you may be eligible for compensation. The Bethesda personal injury lawyers at Alpert Schreyer, LLC have decades of experience in protecting the rights of drivers. Call 866-444-6363 for your free consultation.

Free Consultations • Credit Cards Accepted