There is nothing that says summer more than a family road trip to a wonderful vacation destination. Getting to your destination should be a safe endeavour. That is why there are some important things you should know to keep yourself free of a Connecticut auto accident during this fun time of year.
There are some things you must do to keep yourself and your passengers safe anytime you get in the car, but specifically around a summer road trip. Here are the things you SHOULD do during your road trip:
- Obey the speed limit. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) speed was a factor in 26% of all accidents on the road in 2017.
- Wear a seatbelt. The Centers for Disease Control report that seat belts make you 50% less likely to sustain a serious and/or life threatening injury from a car crash.
- Check the air pressure in your tires. Tires that are under or over inflated can be a major factor in an auto accident.
There are also some things you absolutely shouldn’t do when you’re driving on a long road trip:
- Drive drowsy. Driving long distances can leave you feeling drowsy and at risk of falling asleep behind the wheel. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that nearly 72,000 accidents per year can be attributed to drowsy driving.
- Drive distracted. It may be tempting to check your email or read that text message that just came in while you’re on the road, but that split second can be the difference between life and death. Stow your cell phone and look at it at the next rest stop or your final destination.
- Drive under the influence. Whether you’ve been drinking or using drugs, both can severely impact your ability to make the split second decisions required when driving. Nearly 11,000 people died in drunk driving related accidents in 2017, according to the NHTSA.
If you’ve been in an auto accident and you think you might need an attorney to assist in representing your interest, our experienced team can help.
