If you’ve followed the news at all, you know that distracted driving continues to be a problem throughout our state and across our country. Every day, innocent and unsuspecting individuals are injured and killed in wrecks caused by those who have taken their eyes and attention off the road. As a result, victims and their families are left to pick up the pieces, which can be an enormous task given the physical, emotional and financial toll that can be taken in the aftermath of one of these wrecks.
How to avoid distracted drivers
If you want to prevent that from happening to you, you need to know how to be defensive on the road and remove yourself from the dangers posed by distracted drivers. How do you do that? Here are some steps that you can take to keep yourself safe:
- Give more space: Under normal driving conditions, you should make sure that you’re giving three to four seconds of space between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. However, given that distracted drivers often slam on the brakes without any notice, you might want to increase that distance if you think that you’re close to a distracted driver.
- Give yourself an out: If you’re worried about operating your vehicle near someone who is driving while distracted, you need to make sure that you position your vehicle in a way that you can easily escape danger if the distracted driver veers into your lane. You’ll want to avoid blind spots, of course, but make sure you’ve got room to move into another lane or the shoulder to keep yourself safe.
- Be observant: Of course, you can’t avoid a distracted driver if you don’t know that one is near you. To spot a distracted driver, make sure that you’re aware of your surroundings. If a driver is failing to keep a consistent speed, is driving too slowly, is veering in their lane or into other lanes or they’re failing to abide by traffic signals and signs, there’s a good chance that they’re distracted. If you see any of these symptoms of distracted driving, you need to prepare yourself to take defensive action.
- Remove yourself from the situation: If you think that you’re close to a distracted driver, it might be best to just remove yourself from the equation altogether. What does that look like? It could mean slowing down so much that the distracted driver is significantly ahead of you, or it could mean speeding up to quickly get around them. Just make sure that you’re following all traffic laws when you do so.
- Call the police: If you’ve passed a motorist and observed them texting and driving, you know how easy it is to catch someone who is driving while distracted. When you see this, don’t be afraid to call the police. After all, by doing so, you may be able to prevent that driver’s dangerous behavior from ruining someone’s life.
What should you do if you’re involved in an accident?
If you’re involved in a wreck caused by a distracted driver, you need to be prepared to take legal action. This means talking to witnesses and gathering evidence, but it could also mean speaking with an attorney who can help you build your case. If you end up finding yourself in need of a legal advocate, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a legal team like ours for assistance.