3 Major Causes of Car Accidents & How To Prevent Them

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3 Major Causes of Car Accidents How To Prevent
Them
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• In my line of work, Ive seen it all. From
  someone causing a four car pile up because they
  stopped to let a squirrel cross the road to
  another person being rear-ended by someone
  applying makeup while driving.
• The results of these accidents can be dire
  fatalities or injuries that plague victims for
  months or years increased premiums loss of
  demerit points.

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• Distracted and inattentive driving causes more
  road deaths than drinking and driving and speed
  combined, according to the Ontario Provincial
  Police. And that article was from 2012! Things
  havent improved since then.

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• The Case Against Distracted Driving
• Distracted driving doesnt just mean using a
  phone while behind the wheel, although that
  certainly accounts of a lot of the cases.
  According to the RCMP, distracted driving is a
  form of impaired driving as a drivers judgment
  is compromised when they are not fully focused on
  the road. Distracted driving qualifies as

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• talking on a cell phone
• texting
• reading (e.g. books, maps, and newspapers)
• using a GPS
• watching videos or movies
• eating/drinking
• smoking

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• personal grooming,
• adjusting the radio/CD and playing extremely loud
  music
• even talking to passengers and driving while
  fatigued (mentally and/or physically) can be
  forms of distracted driving.
• Thats a list that goes the long way around to
  saying that the only thing you should be doing
  when youre behind the wheel is driving.

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• I bet youre thinking easier said than done,
  Derek, but consider this drivers using text
  messaging while driving are 23 times more likely
  to get into an accident. You think youre just
  sending a quick note to your boss, but in the
  time it takes you to look up at the road again,
  it could be too late.
• There are ways you can help yourself
• If you dont trust yourself not to respond to
  text

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• messages, you can set up a driving do not
  disturb that replies to anyone who texts you
  that youre currently driving and will see their
  message when you get to your destination.
• Avoid temptation by putting your phone in the
  back seat or trunk.
• Make sure your bluetooth is set up correctly for
  calls that simply cannot wait.

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• That said, your level of attention even using
  hands free technology is diminished significantly
  so you need to consider whether a call is worth
  it! Youre much better off to pull over safely,
  put the car in park and make your call then.
• One of the biggest distractions in the car?
  Kids. I know You cant live with them, you cant
  strap them to the roof!

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• Reaching back to grab a dropped toy is all it
  takes for you to rear-end another vehicle, or
  worse, veer out of your lane into oncoming
  traffic.
• The best advice here is an ounce of
  prevention. If that means turning on a video for
  long drives, to keep the little ones quiet, so be
  it. Screaming kids in the back seat will not only
  drive you to distraction but they will distract
  your driving.

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• The Next Two Important Causes Of Car Accidents
• Speeding and impaired driving are the next two
  causes on the list. They are both highly
  preventable, at least on your part.
• Unfortunately, too many people still drink and
  drive and if you are the victim of an accident

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• involving an impaired driver, you will have a
  strong cause of action to get compensation for
  your injuries. But thats small consolation for
  the fact that it happened at all
• As I pointed out in a previous post, speeding
  will typically NOT save time and in fact
  significantly increases your risk of having a
  collision.

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• I have an old friend who habitually drives in
  the slow lane. He swears up and down that he gets
  to his destinations both faster and happier. In
  my youth, I definitely drove on the aggressive
  and impatient side, and it tested my patience to
  no end to drive with this friend.
• But one day we put his theories to the test
  and I discovered that he was RIGHT.

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• When I drove in the slow lane, I often arrived
  at the exact same time as those who were driving
  in the fast lane, above the limit, and often
  weaving in and out of traffic to shave an extra
  few seconds off the commute.
• One wife and two children later, I credit this
  friend with making me a much safer and slower
  driver.

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• In a rush? Take a breath, put on some easy
  listeningmusic, and relax in the slow lane.
  Youll get there just as quickly, but the journey
  will be far more enjoyable. Nowadays I welcome
  the calm before I arrive home to a chaotic house
  filled with young boys and their buddies.

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• Some Other Causes of Accidents To Consider
• Running a red lighta car going the opposite way
  could be right in your path before you know it.
• Bad weatherits easy to say stay home when the
  weather is bad, but when we have lives, jobs and
  responsibilities, it really is easier said than
  done. The best advice is to slow down. If a speed
  demon in a pickup is aggressively pushing you
  along, let him fume/let him pass.

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• Its not worth your getting upset about.
• Lane changeshaving your side mirrors improperly
  set up and making changes without signaling
  create a lot of accidents. Dont forget to
  shoulder check and signal.
• Following too closeyou never know when someone
  in front of you might stop their vehicle. Perhaps
  they see a child darting out between two cars.

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• You cant see that, but if youre following
  too close, youre bound to rear-end the vehicle
  in front of you. Back off and leave some space.
  Three car-lengths if you can.
• You cant control other drivers, but you can take
  care that, when youre behind the wheel youre
  doing everything possible to stay safe.

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• If you are the victim of a car accident, take
  the necessary stepsto ensure that if youre
  injured, you can be compensated appropriately.
• http//derekwilsonlaw.ca