5 Ways to Prevent Auto Accidents

As car accident lawyers in Tampa, Barbas Law works with a lot of people who have been injured in an auto accident, and sadly, many of these crashes could have been easily prevented. Tampa may be a busy city, but that doesn’t mean a wreck is inevitable, and there are some easy steps you can take to help avoid them.

Five good habits to make are:

1. Don’t text or talk and drive – This should go without saying, but avoid using your phone while driving. The statistics behind accidents involving cell phones are troubling, and you don’t want to become one of those numbers. If you simply must use your phone, wait until you’re at a red light to text, or pull over into a nearby parking lot. A couple of minutes are certainly not worth the stress and potential injuries of a car crash. It’s also worth noting that, although Florida is not yet one of them, many states now have laws against texting and driving, and against talking without a hands-free accessory.
2. Don’t trust your side view mirrors – You’ve probably seen the bumper stickers for motorcycle awareness that say, “Look twice, save a life”, and they make a great point. Always make sure to look before you change lanes or turn. Even if you’ve looked in your side mirrors, you should still turn to check your blind spot. What’s a quick glance when compared to a car crash?
3. Brake slowly – There are times when stopping short is simply unavoidable, but make it a habit to brake gradually when possible. If you see a light ahead turn yellow, don’t wait until you get closer to brake; take your foot off the gas and coast for a while instead. You’ll save wear and tear on your brake pads and give the person behind you a warning that it’s time to slow down.
4. Make sure you’re fully awake – It’s often tempting to push ourselves when on a long road trip or after a late night, but drowsy drivers are a leading cause of car accidents in Tampa and around the country. Stop and take a nap, have some coffee, switch driving duties with your passenger, or get a hotel room. The cost of one night in a hotel is sure to be lower than that of car repairs and medical bills caused by an accident.
5. Drive defensively – This adage may be old, but it holds weight. The best way to avoid accidents is to drive carefully. Never assume that a speeding driver will stop for a red light because yours is green, that someone sees your blinker, or that they see you in their mirror. It’s easy to compensate for another driver’s mistake before they make it, but if you wait, you get only a split second to avoid them – which is usually not enough.