How to minimize risk on the road

Now that we’ve gone over a lot of the negative repercussions that can come out of car crashes in terms of safety, let’s talk about driving safely. A lot of drivers do things on the road that increase their likelihood of crashing. Here are a few things that lead to crash crashes:

Distracted Driving – The main cause of car crashes worldwide is due to drivers being distracted on the road. 1.3 million crashes in 2011 were a result of drivers on their cellphones - that’s a whopping 23% of all auto-collisions in that year. Usually, a cellphone diverts your att

ention 5 seconds at a time, translating into a distance of close to an entire football field if travelling at 100 km/h. Text messaging make you up to 23 times more likely to crash. Even the simple action of reaching for your phone raises your risk to 1.4 times more likely.

Speeding – Although this is the next factor that is likely to cause a collision, speeding is quite common. No matter where you are, drivers generally ignore the speed limit and drive faster than what is listed. It is important to note that the faster a car goes, the less time the driver has to react to the situation.

Intoxication – Again, another obvious one. Drunk driving is never okay. Under the influence of alcohol, it becomes increasingly difficult for someone to function properly and operate an auto-mobile. It is actually quite easy to avoid drunk driving. Always ensure that there is a designated driver present, take a taxi, or just don’t drink at all.

Hopefully you have learned something from the top 3 causes of car crashes and have thought of way to avoid them. Stay safe on the road and enjoy the holidays.