Even if you do your best to avoid driving on the highway, you often have no choice. For example, if it’s the most time-efficient way to reach your destination, you’re likely to consider it. Perhaps it’s the quickest means to drive to work every day, even though you prefer the scenic routes.
For many people, the biggest fear of driving on the highway is the speed at which vehicles are traveling. Add this to many types of vehicles in close proximity, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Fortunately, when you’re familiar with common errors that result in highway car accidents, you can take steps to prevent them to maintain your safety.
· Speeding: Speed limit signs are posted all over the highway, so make sure you always obey them. The faster you drive, the less time you have to react, such as if someone cuts you off or an animal runs in front of your vehicle.
· Distracted driving: When cruising on the highway, it’s easy to believe you can let your mind wander and take your attention off the road. However, if you make this mistake, the chance of an accident is much greater.
· Illegal lane change: When driving on the highway, there will be times when you need to change lanes. Maybe you need to do this so you can exit the highway. Or maybe you need to do this to get past a slow moving vehicle. When doing so, use the left lane and always signal well in advance.
· Drowsy driving: The longer you drive on the highway, the greater chance there is that you’ll become drowsy. This is particularly true if you’re driving when it’s dark outside.
These are just a few of the many mistakes you could make that cause a motor vehicle accident. While you can do your part to personally protect yourself, that doesn’t do anything to change the way that other people drive. If another person causes an accident, maybe because they fell asleep at the wheel or were texting, you should first focus on your health. Once you receive medical treatment and have a recovery plan, you can then file an insurance claim and take other steps to protect your legal rights.
To learn more, visit our Motor Vehicle Accidents page.
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