There may be nothing more frightening than being involved in a collision. It’s easy to forget that driving, biking, and even riding as a passenger can be a dangerous activity. We should all be very aware drivers and riders every month, but March is National Collision Awareness Month—even more reason to drive safely.
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Collisions Affect Everyone
In the United States, road crashes cost the nation over $230.6 billion each year- that’s around $820 per person. While the monetary cost is great, over 2.35 million people are injured in crashes, with about 37,000 deaths per year.
In the fast-paced world we live in today, no one is safe from car accidents. Even when you aren’t driving a car, there is a high risk of accidents for cyclists and even pedestrians. Though there are some accidents that are just that—complete accidents—we can all do certain things to reduce the risk of a collision.
What You Can Do To Reduce Risk
Car Seats and Safety Belts
To protect the children riding with you, be sure to review car seat safety rules. Car crashes are the number one cause of death for children ages 1 to 12. You can review those rules here. If you are the driver of a vehicle, do not drive distracted.
Pay Attention
Distracted driving is a leading factor in the majority of crashes, but we can completely eliminate this factor by focusing on the road while driving. There are several activities we do while driving that are distracting. While the list below doesn’t have everything, here are some of the major ones.
- Texting or Emailing
- Talking on the Phone
- Eating
- Changing Clothes
- Putting on Makeup or Shaving
It’s very important for all drivers to be completely focused, visually aware, and actively engaged in driving. Texting while driving is an especially dangerous distraction because it distracts your mind AND your body. It keeps your eyes on your phone instead of the road and prevents you from using both hands to properly drive your vehicle. Your text message, email, phone call, (and other distractions) can wait until you are safely pulled over.
If A Collision Does Occur
While we can work towards not driving distracted, accidents still occur. The physical, financial, and mental pain and stress that accompanies an accident are difficult to cope with. The Utah Personal Injury Law Firm is here to help.
If you, or someone you know has been injured in an accident, please contact Christensen & Hymas with questions at (801)506-0800.