Safety Tips To Avoid Accidents in Tucson

7 Car Accident Safety Tips to Protect You And Your Family

Some accidents are completely unavoidable. In other situations, your own actions could help you avoid an accident, or experience less serious injuries and property damage. While some safety tips might seem obvious, they could end up saving the lives of you or your family members. Read on to learn more about how to stay safe on the road and in various other situations in Tucson. If you’ve been injured in an accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. To contact our firm for your free consultation, call 520-441-1450 or click here to get started.

Obey All Traffic Signals

This tip may seem like common sense, but so many drivers seem to ignore it. Think of how many times you’ve seen the speed limit reduced on different sections of the freeway or for construction, and if anything, drivers accelerate. These reduced speed limits serve different purposes. Sometimes slower speed limits are in place to help prevent traffic jams, or they may be there to protect worker safety. Don’t worry about the inevitable jerk who will tailgate you for being safe- there’s bound to be a police officer nearby in these situations.

Listen To Your Body

So many people don’t realize that driving while you’re extremely tired can be dangerous just like driving under the influence. Stress and even emotions like anger can make you more of a liability behind the wheel. Whether you need a nap, or just a Snickers, it’s better to wait until your condition has stabilized before taking the wheel, even if you’re completely sober. Certain calming medications may inhibit your ability to drive and operate heavy machinery. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist about these risks when starting a new medication.

Unless You’ve Been Drinking

One of the many reasons that people drink alcohol is because it gives them a euphoric feeling of confidence. This sense of confidence can unfortunately translate into false confidence about your sobriety and driving abilities. In 2019, 260 people died due to alcohol-related traffic accidents in Arizona, which is 260 too many. Studies have shown that the severity of alcohol-related crashes tends to jump up when the driver’s BAC is .08 or higher. However, Arizona’s DUI laws take that a step further. You are presumed to be drunk with a BAC of .08, but a police officer can also use their discretion to determine if you are drunk with a BAC of .04-.079. Drinking and driving has ruined countless lives. If you want to avoid car accidents, as well as a DUI arrest, order an Uber or find another ride when you’ve had one too many.

Put Your Phone Away

Sure, there are hands-free devices that are legal and make it easier to check your phone while driving. However, we believe that the best policy is to save all phone activity for when you reach your destination. There isn’t a phone call or text message that you could possibly receive that is more important than your life and the lives of those on the road around you. Even if you are using a hands-free legal device, your conversation could mentally distract you from potential hazards on the road. Take public transportation if you absolutely can’t keep your hands off your phone for your commute.

Wear Your Seatbelt, Helmet, Etc.

Everyone knows helmets are ugly, and it’s a wonder no one has come up with a more attractive yet safe design for them yet. Seatbelts can also be annoying, especially if you touch a metal piece on a hot Tucson day. But these inventions, along with other safety devices, can be crucial if you’re ever in an accident. It could be the difference between walking away from an accident with a few scrapes and bruises, or permanent brain damage- or maybe not walking away from it at all. Failure to wear your seatbelt increases the risk you will be ejected from your vehicle in an accident, which increases the risk of serious injury and fatality. If anyone has something snide to say, let them know it’s cool to wear your seatbelt and helmet. Also, the Supreme Court has upheld mandatory seatbelt laws as constitutional time and time again. While some view them as an impediment to their personal liberty, the potential risk for creating road hazards would actually threaten other drivers’ liberty.

Perform Regular Maintenance on Your Vehicle

Everyone has had the experience of slamming on their brakes to avoid a near-accident. Now imagine if during one of those moments, your brakes failed. This is an example of what could happen if you neglect routine maintenance on your vehicle. You could also be held liable for any damage you cause during such an accident. Depending on the type of vehicle you have, you probably need an oil change every several thousand miles. It’s natural to want to ignore the mechanic’s recommendations at these appointments, but you should pay careful attention to those that could cause a safety issue. For example, a dirty air filter is less hazardous to drive with than faulty brakes or power steering that is about to go out. The lawyer writing this blog may be slightly guilty of this herself. One of the back doors on her car doesn’t open from the inside, which could be dangerous in an accident/fire. Thankfully, she doesn’t have that many friends, so she never has more than one passenger in the vehicle. Even more thankfully, none of those passengers are ever young enough to need to sit in the back seat.

Fence Your Pool

You didn’t think these were all going to be about driving, did you? Swimming pools are more common in Arizona than most other states. It’s no wonder why, with a great chunk of the year in Tucson in or around the triple digits. If you don’t already have a fence around your pool, it may be time to consider one. In Arizona, a five-foot tall enclosure is required around pools in residences with household members 6 or younger. This could prevent your pool from being a drowning site- about 71% of drownings occur in pools in Arizona. Your children, their friends, or even trespassers could perish in your pool if you don’t have an enclosure.

Reliable Local Injury Lawyers for When Safety Tips Aren’t Enough

At the end of the day, wearing your seatbelt and looking both ways before you cross the street won’t guarantee you safety. Accidents can be costly, and that is in reference to more than just property damage. As you probably know, medical expenses are out of control, and you could have lasting injuries that will require medical treatment in the future. You may also be due compensation for your time missed from work, as well as any lost earning potential due to your injuries. Tucson Injury Lawyers can walk you through non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, to give you an idea of your claim’s full value. Before talking to the other party’s insurance company, you owe it to yourself to seek the opinion of an experienced professional who would be working on your side. Call 520-441-1450 or click here to schedule your free consultation today.

Injury Lawyers Tucson
2 East Congress St., Suite #900-6A
Tucson, AZ 85701
Phone: (520) 441-1450
Email: info@tucsoninjurylawyers.org