Traffic accidents: Precautionary measures and recovery strategies

Statistics show that almost 2 million people die every year as a result of traffic collisions, a staggering number that continues to remain elevated in spite of the safety precautions adopted over the past decades. According to the World Health Organization, crashes are the leading cause of death for children and adults aged between five and twenty-nine. 92% of the fatalities occur in low and middle-income countries, and it’s not just drivers that are at risk. Cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists can become victims or cause accidents as well.

Although collisions can happen unexpectedly, it’s essential to be aware of all the ways you could improve your safety and reduce your likelihood of ending up in an accident. However, it’s important to know what to do if you experience one.

First Response

If you experience a traffic accident, the first and most important thing you need to do is to get medical attention. Even if your injuries seem minimal, you don’t want to take any risks. Sometimes, it can take several hours to several days before internal health damage becomes obvious. Symptoms can become severe quickly, and your condition will deteriorate quickly.

It’s always better to be safe rather than sorry. You must also talk to law enforcement as soon as you can. If someone else was responsible for the crash, you might want to file a compensation claim. If you go to https://www.how-to-sue.co.uk, you’ll be able to access quality services provided by top legal professionals. This way, you know that your case is more likely to succeed, and you can obtain the maximum amount of compensation that you deserve.

Ideally, you should get as much evidence as possible to support your claim. Witness accounts, security camera footage, pictures from the scene of the accident, as well as any medical bills or any other costs you acquired during your convalescence period that you wouldn’t have acquired otherwise, should all go into the file you’ll present during the case.

Speeding

Speeding is one of the leading causes of road traffic accidents. Even if you’re a talented or experienced driver and you’ve been behind the wheel for decades, speeding will nonetheless cause you to have less control over your vehicle. Speed doesn’t just increase the likelihood of an accident occurring; it also increases its severity. Just a 1% increase in the speed of your car leads to a 3% climb in the risk of a serious crash and a 4% increase in the possibility of a fatal crash.

Pedestrians are also more likely to suffer serious injuries leading to either disability or death. In the case of side collisions, where a vehicle collides with the side of another, the fatality risk is as high as 85% at relatively moderate speeds of 65 km/h. You can just imagine what higher speeds would cause.

Traffic rules

Traffic rules exist for a reason, and everyone must be aware of them in order to get a licence and drive. However, it is often the case that these regulations are not always followed and respected. Many drivers feel that there’s no problem ignoring some of the things they’ve learned, especially if they’re in a situation they deem perfectly safe. For instance, if you drive later at night or early in the morning, you might want to ignore some of the stop signs. After all, there’s nobody else around.

But a single second is enough to create a disaster on the road. Keep in mind that these rules were designed to keep everyone on the road safe, not to cause disturbances or troubles. Whether you think you’re alone on the road or you’re rushing to get somewhere, it’s always better to pace yourself and take things slow. As a pedestrian, you should also avoid potentially dangerous practices such as jaywalking. They endanger both you and drivers who might not see you.

Distractions

When you’re driving, you must make sure that you’re focused and attentive to your surroundings. You must be well-rested and focused on your task. But if you have passengers in your car, it’s easy to become distracted. Don’t turn around to talk to people in the backseat, don’t text while driving and don’t be the person in charge of making a road trip playlist. Smartphones are perhaps the biggest concern in this regard.

Data shows that drivers who use their phones while driving are four times more likely to be involved in a crash. If you must send a text or make a call, you should pull over and do so. Otherwise, unless there’s an emergency, your phone can wait until you get to the destination. Taking your eyes away from the road means that you’ll have a much harder time remaining in the correct lane or maintaining adequate distances between you and other drivers.

When it comes to music, the tunes you pick should be energising but relaxing at the same time. However, some people find music to be fundamentally distracting. If you belong to this category, it’s preferable to drive in silence. And don’t listen to anything that’s likely to make you feel sleepy. That’s a huge hazard that could get you, everyone else that’s in your car, and others on the road injured in a matter of moments.

Under the influence

Driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs poses considerable risks and is more likely to result in accidents that cause severe, disabling injuries or loss of life. Naturally, the risk increases the more inebriated or intoxicated someone is, but there’s no level that can be considered safe. If you’ve consumed anything that could impact your judgement or reflexes, it’s best to ask someone else to drive or get a taxi.

Driving is a convenient and helpful thing since it allows you to get anywhere you want and makes travelling more comfortable. But you must also remember that you have a responsibility to both yourself and others to maintain safety standards on the road. Don’t engage in any dangerous or reckless behaviour, and make sure you’re in perfect shape to get behind the wheel. Anything else can cause problems for both yourself and others.