In Boston, Fenway, Allston, Beacon Hill and surrounding areas, drivers face many challenges on the roads. Forbes reports that once every 17.9 years, a driver will become involved in a motor vehicle accident and need to make a claim with a car insurer as a result. A personal injury lawyer knows that a lot of the crashes could be prevented if drivers were more careful.
As a New Year starts, you may be making resolutions about what you want to accomplish in the upcoming year. With motor vehicle crashes remaining a top cause of death, this year is the perfect year to try to do something to make a real difference when it comes to improving road safety. Drivers should pledge to stop doing the things that are likely to lead to crashes so the roads will be a lot safer for everyone.
Your New Year's Resolutions Could Save Lives
To reduce the chances of a motor vehicle crash, you don't have to make major changes to your life. If you simply resolve to give up three really dangerous behaviors, you can become part of the solution to making the roads safer. Three behaviors that you should make a New Year's resolution not to do again include:
- Treating your fellow drivers with aggression. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a full 67 percent of people responding to a driving survey said that another driver had made them feel uncomfortable or afraid over the course of the past year. A third of survey respondents indicated they'd had an unpleasant encounter and been made to feel nervous within just the prior month. Some of the aggressive driving behaviors that make other motorists scared (and that increase collision risks) include passing when it isn't safe and following too closely behind.
- Driving while distracted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that each day in the United States, 1,153 people get hurt and nine die because a driver makes the choice to focus on something that isn't the road. Cell phones are a major cause of distracted driving accidents but are not the only cause. Anything you do, like eating or talking to your GPS device, could increase the risk of a crash if it takes your mind off the road.
- Going too fast. If you drive too fast for road conditions or go over the posted speed limit, you are significantly increasing the chances of a crash. In 2012, 10,319 people died due to speeding-related accidents according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Around 30 percent of car crashes in the U.S. involve speeding. If you slow down, you reduce the danger. You can also get 33 percent better gas mileage on local roads if you go the speed limit according to Fuel Economy.
These resolutions are simple changes you can make, but they could make a big impact in terms of how safe Massachusetts roads are.
Boston accident victims may contact the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone at 1-800-WIN-WIN-1 or can visit https://www.marksalomone.com. Serving Boston, Back Bay, Fenway, North End, South End, Allston, Beacon Hill, Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury and surrounding areas.