If you’ve been keeping up with our recent blog posts or you’re knowledgeable when it comes to car accident statistics, you probably know that car accidents significantly rise during the summer months. This is mostly due to the fact that most people take vacations during the summer, and in most cases, these vacations are often achieved through long road trips. On top of that, with high schoolers free for the summer, inexperienced teen drivers flood the roads during the summer.
So, what kind of car accidents are prominent during the summer and what can you do this year to avoid them? We here at Robert J. DeBry and Associates have created this infographic and written this blog post to help you understand the main risks and how you can avoid them in 2019.
When Traveling, Switch Drivers Often
Drowsy drivers are most affected between 9:00 at night and 6:00 in the morning. As mentioned above, a car accident lawyer may see several cases in which victims are injured by other drivers that were fatigued by driving long distances. When taking a road trip, it’s important for there to be more than one driver so that you can switch off every couple of hours or when necessary. When a driver begins to feel tired, sleepy or is having a hard time focusing on the road, it’s crucial for drivers to pull over and rest or switch drivers in order to avoid getting in an accident.
Another tip for long-distance road trips is to make sure that you’re eating plenty of food. A car accident lawyer will tell you that food will provide you with ample energy during a trip, making it less likely for you to fall asleep at the wheel. It’s also adviced that you stick to healthier foods, as these foods are going to give you the energy that you need without a crash.
Avoid Distractions
and There is approximately 481,000 drivers use their phones while driving every day, and people that use their phones while driving are 2.2 times more likely to be involved in an accident. Driving through long stretches of barren land may not be the most exciting thing, and it can be tempting to check your phone, especially if you’re traveling through an area with virtually no traffic, but a car accident lawyer will tell you that you should stay completely off your phone while driving. It’s advised that even if you have a hands-free device, you refrain from using it, as it can get extremely distracting.
If you want to listen to music or need to set up your GPS, make sure that you get everything ready before you begin your trip, that way you don’t have to worry about doing it while operating your vehicle.
Speeding is Never Okay
You’re probably going to be faced with long stretches of open road throughout your road trip, and this might tempt you to speed up to reduce the amount of time it’ll take you to get to your destination or to have fun, however, in 2018, speeding accounted for 10,111 fatalities — 27 percent of all traffic-related deaths in that year. Make sure that you refrain from speeding, no matter how empty the road ahead of you might seem.
Summer car accidents are no joke, and if you’re in need of a car accident lawyer to help you in the event of an accident, make sure to contact a car accident lawyer from Robert J. DeBry and Associates.