Tips to Avoid Traffic Accidents Las Vegas
As the summer season quickly approaches upon us, there will be a steady increase in the amount of traffic on the road. Increased traffic means an increased risk of a car accident. It also means an increased amount of drunk drivers on the road. While everyone wants to have a great summer full of fun, I’m sure we can all agree that having a safe summer is the priority above all. While you can never prevent a roadway incident 100% of the time (unless you are a hermit), there are tips you can follow to better your odds of being safe on the road this summer:
1. Drive the speed limit. This may seem elementary but realistically speaking, each one of us who drives each day is guilty of speeding at least once every time we are behind the wheel. Increased speed means increased stopping distance and decreased time to react to sudden hazards that present themselves in fount of us, such as braking traffic or roadway debris. Decreased speed, generally, also means better and more concise control over your vehicle. Follow the speed limit; plain and simple.
2. Maintain a proper following distance. A good general rule of thumb is to stay one car length for every 10 mph behind the vehicle in front of you. In other words, if you’re traveling 30 miles per hour, stay three car lengths behind the vehicle in front of you. Admittedly, this isn’t always practical, but it is possible and will ensure enough distance and time to react and maneuver around, or stop before, encountering a roadway hazard.
3. DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE! No excuse justifies it, no excuse excuses it, and no excuse will forgive it. If you have been drinking, have the courage to hand your keys off to a designated driver. If none is available, have the courage to call a cab. I promise you, the cab fare will be cheaper than the fines and consequences related to picking up a DUI. Aside from the bail or bond money that likely will need to be posted, you will have fines and class fees in excess of $1,000.00 and you will be required to purchase SR-22 insurance for a minimum of three years. That insurance is expensive and will haunt you for a very long time with increased premiums even after you are no longer obligated to carry that specific insurance.
Most importantly, however, handing your keys off, or calling a cab will protect you and other motorists on the highway from injury and/or death. Speaking from experience as a DUI lawyer, the remorse and utter devastation of a criminal defendant who has harmed another person on account of their own drinking and driving is crushing. You will go to jail if you harm another because you were drunk behind the wheel. DON’T DO IT!
While these three tips are nothing new, they are important to remember and to have in mind during this summer season and will greatly assist you in staying safe out there.
You can’t control anyone else’s actions, however, and if you are the victim of a negligent driver, please call us. We can help.