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Driving is one of the most dangerous things we do on a daily basis, so taking every precaution possible to keep yourself and others safe is the only responsible thing to do. From avoiding distractions while driving to maintaining general maintenance, making sure you're doing everything in your power to reduce your risk on the road makes everyone around you just a little safer.

Get off the Phone

Put down your cellphone, that water bottle, and the breakfast you didn't have time to eat at home. Your hands should be free at all times to take control of the wheel and your eyes should be scanning the road and your surroundings. Anything distracting you from your one job (which is driving safely) is something you should be doing another time.

Maintain Safe Distance
Make sure that you respect your fellow motorists' space on the road. Don't follow too close behind other cars or you put yourself at risk of a crash should you be forced to break quickly. You avoid tailgating if at all possible as most resulting crashes will be considered your fault.

Mind your Surroundings
Many drivers have the unfortunate tendency to fall into "tunnel vision." That is, they are only able to focus on what's directly in front of them. Avoid this by checking your mirrors and over your shoulder, looking over to the lanes next to you, and making sure you're watching further ahead in your lane than the closest car.

Get your Car Serviced
Make sure that you're servicing your car when necessary, that your tires are rotated and replaced regularly, and that you're oil is changed as needed, along with all of the other general upkeep required to keep your car running safe. If you avoid these tune-ups you're putting your car at greater risk of failing on the road.

Safety First
Make sure you and everyone in your car is wearing a seatbelt and that there isn't more than one person per seat. This may seem obvious, but the number of injuries per year due to passengers not wearing seatbelts is rather surprising. Practicing this sort of general precaution on a daily basis is what's guaranteed to reduce road fatalities in the future.

Of course, no matter how safe you try to be, accidents happen. It may not always be your fault but if you take all of these tips to heart and employ them every time you're on the road, we'll all be grateful to you for making our world a little bit safer.

Informational Credit:

The information in this article was provided by professional car accident attorneys at Bachus & Schanker Law.