How to protect against a highway car wreck
When driving on the highway, such as the I-75 corridor, you know how difficult it can be to maintain your safety. Even if you’re obeying the rules of the road and taking extra caution, there will always be drivers who don’t do the same.
There is nothing you can do to control the other people on the road, but there are steps you can take to lessen the likelihood of a highway car wreck. Here’s what you should do:
- Drive in the right lane: This is where you should spend the majority of your time, as the left lane is primarily for passing slow-moving vehicles. You’ll feel safer when you drive in this lane.
- Watch out for aggressive drivers: When you spot an aggressive driver early on, you can do your part in keeping your distance. Examples include people who are yelling, changing lanes without turn signals and tailgating.
- Obey the speed limit: It’s easy to violate the speed limit on the highway, especially when the traffic around you is moving at a faster pace. However, the speed limit is in place for a reason: To keep you safe. Know it and obey it at all times.
- Watch for changing traffic conditions: Traffic patterns can change without much notice. One second you’re moving along at 65 miles per hour, but the next you’re at a complete stop.
- Avoid distractions: It’s easy to become distracted when cruising on the highway. You grab for your coffee, you think about the day ahead or you make a phone call to pass the time. All these things take your attention away from the road, which increases the risk of an accident.
No matter how hard you try to avoid it, another driver could cause a highway car wreck. If this happens, take these steps:
- Move to the side of the road
- Call 911
- Stay in your vehicle to assess your injuries and administer first-aid
- Accept transportation to a hospital for treatment
- Collect information pertaining to the accident, such as the police report
- File an insurance claim
When you do these things, you position yourself to obtain compensation for the damages associated with the wreck.