Auto accidents happen to almost everyone at some point in time. Sometimes, no matter what you do, you can’t avoid an unfortunate incident. However, there are also a lot of accidents that are caused by careless or irresponsible drivers—you might actually be the victim of such an accident, and if you are, you may be entitled to compensation. Even still, it’s better to avoid accidents when you can. Learn some safety tips for good defensive driving so that you can reduce, minimize and eliminate the potential for a Paterson car accident.
Defensive Driving
The idea behind defensive driving is that the first principle of avoiding accidents is to develop a skills set that allows you to spot potential dangers before they happen. If a pedestrian stumbles into the road, you have seen the potential before it happens and have the time to stop. If a driver suddenly veers in front of you, you’ve got the time to properly react.
Avoiding accidents is partially a factor of obeying the law and making good decisions. It’s also a factor of watching for other people to make mistakes and knowing how to react to them when it happens.
Assume the Worst
The first principle behind defensive driving is to always assume the worst. We want to believe the best of other people, but when driving, avoiding accidents means assuming the other driver is going to make a bad decision. They are going to swerve in front of you. They are going to brake slam. That pedestrian is going to dash into the road. The cyclist is going to try to lane share and ignore traffic signals. Don’t get angry about these things; just assume they’re going to happen so that you can react when they do.
Make the Right Choices
Hand-in-hand with this means not making bad decisions yourself. Don’t take risks to pass a slow driver just because you’re in a hurry, for example. If your plan is dependent on everything going perfectly, it’s probably a bad plan. Remember, no plan survives contact with challenge, and when it comes to driving, you are challenged by everyone and everything else.
Be Prepared
The next thing you need to do to drive defensively is to always be prepared. There are a number of elements that go into being prepared and staying alert. These include:
- Be Awake and Alert: Always pay attention to what’s going on around you, and never drive when you’re tired or your judgment is impaired.
- Keep Your Eyes Moving: Don’t get tunnel vision. Keep your eyes moving, scanning the road ahead and to the sides. Check your mirrors to be aware of what’s behind you. Watch your blind spots.
- Give Them Room: Make sure that the vehicles and pedestrians around you have plenty of room so that you have time to stop or safely get out of the way if something sudden happens.
- Act Decisively: Once you make a decision, stick with it and follow it through. Remember that being overly timid can be just as dangerous as being overly aggressive.
- Remain Calm: Road rage is a major contributor to accidents. When you get angry, you lose your capacity to make good decisions. Stay calm and keep your wits about you always. In the end, that bad decision the other driver made is a moment out of your life, and if you avoid it, everything’s fine. There’s no reason to get outraged over it.
Avoiding the Paterson Car Accident
In the end, the best way to avoid a Paterson car accident is to act around other drivers the way you want them to act around you. Keep your wits about you, stay alert and make good decisions. Remember, you have as much of a responsibility to other drivers as they have to you.
If you are in a car accident that is the fault of another, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, damages and the costs you incur getting back on your feet. The best thing to do in such a case is to get in touch with an expert personal injury attorney. Our firm has over a quarter century experience representing the victims of these kinds of accidents. Read a bit more about what we can do for you, then call us for a free consultation today.