The Truck Accident Law Firm Blog

Child safety seats and seat belts are responsible for saving thousands of lives and are among the most basic safety precautions you can take.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics show that 25% of children 14 and younger involved in vehicle accidents with fatalities were unrestrained. Of those who died in accidents, 45% were unrestrained. Over all age groups 36% of passengers involved in fatal accidents were unrestrained. The most obvious safety tip would be to make sure every passenger is buckled up.

Distractions are another major cause of car and truck accidents. You can reduce distractions by having other passengers get or do things for you while you are driving. When alone, try not to change CDs or tune radios while you are in motion. Cell phones are cited as a major distracting factor involved in accidents. Recent studies show that even hands-free devices don’t reduce the number of accidents involving cell phones. It is better to pull over to set or use the features of items such as cell phones, GPS and PDAs than to try to do so while driving.

Most drivers don't anticipate problems that they could easily assess as they are driving. Try to get in the habit of surveying traffic, intersections, weather conditions, and visibility at least ¼ mile down the road. With practice you can:

• Determine when a light that has been green for a while is about to turn yellow, and prepare to stop and avoid slamming on the brakes.
• Learn to anticipate what other drivers are about to do, e.g., whether a car entering from an intersection is going to stay or pull out in front of you.
• Spot animals that may run out in front of a car several cars ahead, then give yourself more room between you and the car ahead of you.
• Monitor escape routes, such as an opening in the next lane, a shoulder wide enough to pull into or other options to avoid hitting the car in front of you, especially if you anticipate an accident up ahead.
• Get someone off your tail by pulling over and letting them pass you. One trick taught in trucking schools is to pull off at a freeway overpass, then enter from that same onramp. By the time you’ve done this, the tailgater has passed you and is well out of your way.
• Keep an eye on these kinds of drivers who may cause an accident up ahead that you can avoid by using some of these anticipatory skills.

If you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck accident, please contact a truck accident attorney in your area today to schedule a confidential, no-cost consultation.