Driving on the highway this time of the year can be especially dangerous. What can make it even more dangerous is if you have a need to get out of your car for some reason or another. Doing this is extremely dangerous and if you don’t take the appropriate steps to keep you and your loved ones safe it could get you into a Connecticut car accidents with you being put in a situation where you are not seen or seen too late. In most cases, it is best to remain in your vehicle at all times, even when you are safely pulled over to the side of the road, but that may not always be possible.
Take for instance a commercial vehicle driver from New Jersey who was recently killed when he got out of his vehicle on i-95 and was struck by a tractor trailer driver. This tragic story is a difficult reminder to us all that if we don’t take the appropriate safety measures when we need to get out of our car on the side of a highway we could be putting ourselves in serious risk.
Twenty years ago there were a lot more reasons for people to leave their cars on the side of the highway and take that risk. Today, with cell phones and the ability to contact emergency services without getting out of your car there are far fewer reasons that you would need to leave your vehicle because you can now get access to just about anyone or anything while staying in your vehicle and this is what we suggest to be as safe as possible.
That said, if you absolutely must get out of your car while you’re on the side of the highway, here are some tips to make sure you do it as safely as possible.
Tip #1: Use caution when opening your door and exiting into traffic. This is especially important if you’re exiting into on-coming traffic. Make sure you are aware of your surroundings and any traffic that is heading in your direction. If there is even a question in your mind as to whether or not it is safe to exit, wait until it is all clear.
Tip #2: Immediately move to the shoulder of the road and away from on-coming traffic. After exiting your vehicle you should not spend any time that is unnecessary on the side of your vehicle that is positioned near on-coming traffic. When you exit your vehicle, make your way as far away from the traffic as possible.
Tip #3: Make yourself visible. If you have reflective clothing or a vest that you can put on before you get out of your car, use that. If you do not, make sure your brightest color clothing is visible so that on-coming traffic can see you easily. It is a good idea to have an emergency kit that does have a reflective vest in it so you can safely exit the vehicle and be visible to any traffic that might be struggling to see you in your everyday clothes.
Tip #4: Stay vigilant. When you get out of your vehicle you need to continue to be aware of your surroundings. Circumstances can change on the side of a highway in an instant and if you’re not aware of your surroundings you could be blind sided by a change in conditions and it could put you or your passengers at risk. If you are continually aware of where you are, the volume of traffic and how visible you are, you will be putting yourself in a much safer position.
It is always best, if you can avoid it, to not get out of your car while you’re pulled over to the side of the highway. Getting into a Connecticut car accident while you’re in your vehicle at high speeds can be incredibly dangerous, but being hit as a pedestrian when you’ve pulled over to the side of the road can be significantly more dangerous and will often be fatal. It is important that you do everything in your power to remain in your vehicle until any sort of emergency response personnel arrive on the scene.
If you end up getting injured as the result of an accident on the highway you may need to speak to an attorney who has extensive experience with situations like the one you find yourself in. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.
