Looks like you will have to push away your “Get leaner” and “Eat healthier” New Year’s resolutions for 2019 a bit, because you have a new one, “Avoid car accidents.” Each year, more than 3 million Americans get injured in motor vehicle crashes, and the vast majority of these injuries are “permanent.”
With car accidents being one of the leading causes of injury and death in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and elsewhere in Florida, it makes sense why you need to make (and keep) your new New Year’s resolution for 2019: “Avoiding car crashes.”
We invited our Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer from Vladimir Tsirkin & Associates, P.A. to outline the safety tips to help you reduce your risk of accidents on the road until December 31, 2019 (on January 1, 2020, you will renew that resolution, obviously):
- Stop lying to yourself. One of the most common reasons why people with bad habits cause car accidents is their inability to get realistic about their weaknesses. If you know you have one or two (or more) bad habits, face them head-on. You need to tackle your bad habits regardless of what they are. It can be speeding, forgetting to wear a seat belt, driving recklessly, hitting the road while intoxicated or fatigued… Identify the culprit before it’s too late and do not let it be the cause of your own misery and the misery of others in 2019.
- Take care of your car. If you do not remember the last time you had a skilled mechanic inspect and maintain your vehicle, you are doing it wrong. “Make sure your car is updated, modified, and is properly maintained to reduce the risk of car crashes in 2019,” advises our experienced car accident lawyer in Fort Lauderdale.
- Pay more attention to the road. Did you know that distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents in the U.S.? While cell phones are obviously the biggest culprit, there are plenty of other things that can steal your attention away from the road. If you know you have a problem with placing your full focus on driving, do something about it before it unfolds into some devastating tragedy.
- There’s always room for improvement. Most of us tend to think that we are good drivers. But the sad truth is that the vast majority of us could use some learning. Upgrading your driving skills or knowledge about traffic rules is never a bad idea, and the sooner you do it, the less likely you are to get into a car accident. Not only will it help you boost your confidence as a driver, but will also help you find out lots of new stuff (after all, there have probably been a lot of changes to Florida’s traffic laws since you got your driver’s license).
- Get plenty of sleep before hitting the road. Stop putting your own life and the lives of others at risk whenever you decide that it’s okay to operate your car fatigued, sleepy or tired. “Fatigued and drowsy driving are one of the leading causes of car accidents at night,” explains our Fort Lauderdale car accident attorney. So make sure you get plenty of sleep this year, and never get behind the wheel while fatigued, tired, or sleepy.
- Make sure your emotions are in check. We never seem to talk about this, but you will be surprised how many people get aggressive, angry, distressed or emotional in any way while driving, which then leads to a car accident. This inability to keep your emotions under control makes you more likely to speed, drive recklessly, tailgate, make unsafe lane changes, or engage in other dangerous activities on the road.
- Think about your loved ones before driving. Scientists agree on one thing: by thinking about your loved ones – even briefly – before starting to drive and even during your trip, you can significantly lower the risk of getting into an accident. That’s a simple yet effective psychological trick. By thinking about your family, you begin to drive defensively, as if protecting any harm from happening to you (or them, if they are also in the vehicle with you) to live for them and make them happy.
“That’s it,” concludes our car accident lawyer Fort Lauderdale from Vladimir Tsirkin & Associates, P.A. Turns out, our New Year’s resolution for 2019 isn’t as hard and “unrealistic-ish” as “Get leaner” and “Eat healthier,” is it? If you have been unable to avoid a car crash in 2019, speak to our attorneys by scheduling a consultation today. Call us at 305-831-4333.
