4 Safety Tips for Driving in Houston, TX
Houston, TX is a wonderful place to live in many ways, but there’s no denying we do have some traffic! Here, from a car accident lawyer with local experience, are some safety tips for driving in our great city,
From a Car Accident Lawyer: 4 Safety Tips for Driving in Houston, TX
Follow Speed Limits
Yes, the people around you may not be following the speed limit, but those limits are there for a reason, and it’s not just to make everyone’s life difficult. Speed limits are set based on how much time it takes to stop and how likely it is you will need to come to a very quick stop on any given road.
If you’re speeding at the time of an accident, even if the accident was really caused by someone else, your speeding will be taken into consideration and could mean that any damages you receive in a car accident claim are lowered to account for your fault.
Check Before You Leave
Houston has some of the worst traffic in our country, but one of the great things about the modern world is the ability to check various apps in order to map out the best route and see real-time information on traffic.
Make sure to check these before you leave, so that you can plan out an alternate route, if necessary, but also so you can allow yourself enough time to drive safely to your destination.
Resist Road Rage
Don’t go out to drive if you’re already in a bad mood. If you have to drive, do something to calm yourself before leaving. And most important, if someone else is enraged on the road, don’t provoke them further or engage with them. Road rage is a serious thing, and people have been seriously hurt and even killed in road rage incidents.
No matter how much another driver may provoke you, be the bigger person and refuse to engage. When you pull up to stops behind other cars, try to always leave yourself a little bit of room. That way, if someone gets out of their vehicle to come at you, you have some room to pull around and just drive away.
Drive Defensively
This means doing things like constantly scanning the roadway in the distance (not just immediately ahead of you) so you will spot a hazard early. Always wear your seatbelt, and if you are in an accident, be aware of the possibility there could be a second accident and move your car out of the road, if possible.
The speed limit is just that: a limit. It’s not the required minimum speed, and don’t let another driver bully you into driving at unsafe speeds during bad weather conditions. Always allow three seconds of travel time between you and the car in front of you to avoid bumping into them if there’s a sudden stop.
If you’ve been in an accident and need to bring a claim, contact us right away at the Law Office of Shane R. Kadlec in Houston, TX for a free consultation.
