As a driver, avoiding an accident is probably a significant concern. After all, insurance costs and medical bills are expensive, but accidents can also have irreversible consequences such as ongoing pain and emotional trauma. Distracted driving is a leading cause of accidents, but there are steps you can take to avoid becoming involved in a distracted driving accident.
Recognize Distracting Habits
You may be a distracted driver, and not even realize it. There are many habits that drivers engage in that can be a distraction without them realizing how distracting it really is. Evaluate your habits while driving for some of these dangerous actions:
- Eating while driving
- Adjusting your radio/music player
- Operating your navigation system
- Applying makeup, shaving, brushing or tying back hair, or examining yourself
- Texting, emailing, or browsing the web on your phone
- Speaking on the phone, even with a hands-free system or device
Making Emergency Calls
Occasionally, you cannot avoid the need to make an emergency call. Whether you are calling 911 to report an accident or a drunk driver, or you are reaching out to others in the event of a personal or medical emergency, it is important to take extra care when placing these calls. If it is at all possible, pull over for the call or ask a passenger to make the call. It may be legal to make to call from a hands-free device, but it still can cause you to miss important cues while driving, which may cause an accident.
Recognizing Distracted Drivers
It is possible that your full attention may be on the road when you are involved in an accident with a distracted driver. Even if you were driving safely, a distracted driver can still injure you. Recognizing the signs of a distracted driver can help you steer clear and hopefully avoid an accident.
Signs of distracted driving:
- The driver is looking down, in a vanity mirror on their visor, or is not focused on the road.
- The vehicle is drifting in the lane, or crossing into other lanes.
- The driver is breaking erratically or suddenly.
- The speed of the car doesn’t match the flow of traffic.
Injured? Get Help From Our Brooklyn Auto Accident Lawyers - (888) 918-9890
Even if you were careful to be an excellent and safe driver, a distracted driver can still involve you in an accident. If you or a loved one has been injured due to a distracted driver, you may be entitled to compensation. At Belushin Law Firm, P.C., we are committed to providing our injured clients with the utmost understanding and care by providing personalized legal solutions for their case. Our Brooklyn car accident attorneys are here to support you through every step of your claim.
Contact our team today to schedule a free case evaluation. Call (888) 918-9890.