Do You Know Enough About Car Safety?
Being safe whilst you’re behind the wheel is a number one priority in the modern world. There’s all kinds of hazards on the road, and you never know when something is going to come flying around a corner at you – and because of that, proceeding with caution is the name of the game, even when you’re drifting race tracks.
No matter how much you rev an engine before you head off, the car you drive isn’t going to be safer than it was before you turned the key. So if you’re someone who’s been driving for a good few years, or you’re a beginner about to go on your first long haul journey, this is your chance to quickly quiz yourself. Don’t worry, car safety always becomes second nature, but it never hurts to run yourself through a cockpit drill.
It’s not just seatbelts and airbags; there’s some less obvious safety precautions you’ll need to take whenever you’re on the road.
Do You Know What Your Vehicle Weighs?
If you don’t, there’s a good chance you could take a corner too fast, or suddenly swerve, and end up tipping the entire car over. When you’ve only got a seatbelt to hold you back from going straight through the windscreen, you’re going to suffer some serious effects on your body from a movement like this.
And if you’ve got an overloaded trunk or backseat, there’s an even higher chance of this occurring, so always be sure of how much your car weighs, what your tyres can support, and whether or not you’re stuffing too much in when it comes to going on day trips or vacations.
Have You Got the Window Open?
If it’s a hot day out, or there’s a lot of humidity and other passengers in the car, make sure you’ve either got the air con on full blast or you’ve cracked a window open to keep things cool. You’re going to need a good supply of fresh and cold air whenever you get into the car, seeing as it can become quickly uncomfortable for you stuck inside a metal box for a couple of hours!
There’s a good chance you can suffer from the effects of heat exhaustion from being behind the wheel for too long on warm and long summer days. You don’t want to give your body any reason to take your attention off of the road, and warmth can very easily lull us into a lethargic mood.
Do You Know What to Do After an Accident?
They can and will happen, no matter how safe you think you’re being or compared to your perfect driving history before now. And if you get involved in a crash, especially when you weren’t expecting one at all, it can be extremely daunting to try and cope with the aftermath. You don’t know what to do, where to go, who to call, or how you should behave (depending on where the fault lies and who is injured) – and that’s where a good car accident lawyer comes in.
But they’re not going to be your first port of call. No, first of all, you’re going to need to stop and check both yourself and the other person in the other car, and any passengers they have. But make sure you’re safe to do so, as standing in the middle of a high speed motorway isn’t the best tactic here.
You’re also going to need to call the police and the ambulance, as you can’t trust anyone else has done this already. And then make sure you’ve got your license and registration and personal details ready for the other driver to take note of, and make sure they pay you the same courtesy.
Are You Properly Clued Up Yet?
Knowing all the hazards of the road can be near impossible, as every situation is different with different factors making it dangerous. And because of this, it can hard to tell how an accident will affect you, or what you could have done to prevent it. But if you know the most general and safest rules, you’re going to be in much better shape to take on serious situations.
So now’s the time to do a bit of research, practice your driving skills, and to always make sure you know the car you’re using to get from A to B. It’s going to be much more important to know the make and model of the car than you ever thought necessary!