Are There Things We Do That Increase Our Risk of Serious Injury in a Vehicle Accident?
The only way to guarantee you will not be injured in a Fresno motor vehicle accident is to not be involved in a motor vehicle accident. There is no explanation why sometimes a car crash results in catastrophic injuries and other crashes result in minor or no injuries. However, there are factors that increase the risk you will suffer a serious injury if you are involved in a car accident. Knowing these factors can help you avoid making the accident worse.
Tips to Decrease the Severity of a Vehicle Accident
Below are several actions that have been shown to increase your risk of suffering a serious injury in a motor vehicle accident.
- Driving At Speeds Exceeding The Posted Speed Limit – The correlation between speed and the risk and severity of injuries in a car accident has been documented by researchers. Speeding increases your risk of suffering a more serious injury if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident. Obeying speed limit may avoid a more serious injury in a car accident.
- Failing To Wear Your Seat Belt – Seat belts have been proven to save lives and reduce the risk of injury in car accidents. Since 1975, seat belts have saved almost 300,000 lives. In 2014, 12,802 survived motor vehicle accidents because they were wearing their seat belt.
- Most states have enacted seat belt laws because studies have proven repeatedly that seat belts are an effective way to protect drivers and passengers in a car accident. The only state that has not enacted a seat belt law for adults is New Hampshire. Always wear your seat belt and secure children in approved child restraint seats.
- Driving While Distracted – You cannot control what other drivers do while on the road; however, you can control your own behavior. If you are driving while distracted, you risk causing an accident and you reduce your chance of avoiding an accident. Keep your full attention on the road in front of you so that you can take evasive measures to try to avoid an accident caused by another driver.
- Putting Your Feet On The Dash – We all may be guilty of this at some point in our lifetime. You prop your feet up on the dash to take a nap on a long car ride; however, this is an extremely dangerous decision. In a vehicle accident, your injuries can be much more severe if your feet are propped up on the dash at the time of the collision. For one young woman, her feet on the dash at the time of a collision has changed her life forever. You can read her story here.
Do You Need a Central California Valley Car Accident Attorney?
The Fresno, CA personal injury attorneys of Torem & Associates are here to help you if you have been injured in a truck accident, motorcycle crash, car accident, or other motor vehicle collision. Call our office at (888) 500-5000 or use our convenient online contact form to schedule a free consultation.
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