It seems like car accidents always occur at the worst times. You’re on your way to work on the day of a big meeting, or you’re already running late to pick your kids up from school, when suddenly you are hit by a reckless driver.  Now not only are you going to be even later for wherever you were heading, but you now have to deal with damage to your car, and maybe even injuries. Wouldn’t it be better if you could avoid getting into the accident in the first place? Well, while it may not be entirely possible to avoid them altogether, there are some things you can do to make them a little less likely.

Obey the Laws

First of all, you need to obey the laws. This may sound like an obvious one, but once you’ve been driving for a while, a lot of us tend to get a little lax. Maybe we go over the speed limit a little bit on a road that we know isn’t typically crowded. Or we don’t come to a complete stop at a corner that doesn’t see much traffic. Whatever it is, we’ve all made little allowances for ourselves to bend the traffic laws, and these little allowances can grow over time. If you’re not careful, you could find yourself rolling through a stop sign you normally ignore and going directly into another vehicle. So the next time you drive, pay extra attention to thelocal traffic laws you’re ignoring, and make an extra effort to stick to them, no matter how inconvenient.

Reduce Distractions

Another key thing you can do to avoid getting into a car accident is remove distractions. As we become more comfortable with driving, we allow more distractions to slip into our area. Maybe we start playing the music a little louder, or we eat while we drive, or even use our phones. And while some cars are trying to help remove distractions by making some things hands-free, distractions still exist. To reduce the chance of an accident, you’ll want to remove these as best you can. Send out your texts and make your calls before you start driving. Take a sip of your drink at the next stop light. Turn down the music to a reasonable level. These little things go a long way towards keeping you and your passengers safe whenever you drive.

Don’t Drive Impaired

Next, it’s important that you are fully capable of driving. For many, this means not drinking or doing any other sort of drug before getting behind the wheel. And while this is important, it’s not the only way you can be impaired while driving. You also need to get enough sleep, so that your eyelids don’t grow heavy as you’re on the road. Beyond that, you should regularly visit a doctor to have your eyes checked, and ensure that you don’t need glasses in order to drive.

Avoid Bad Weather

One of the most common times for accidents to occur is during bad weather. Snow makes the road slippery, wind knocks tree branches down, and rain makes it hard to see out of the windows. Even if you drive your best during these tricky conditions, you can’t account for the other drivers who might not do as well. Your best bet is to try to avoid driving during bad weather as best you can. You can’t get into an accident if you’re not on the road. Of course, this isn’t always possible, so if you do need to get on the road, follow these tips for driving in bad weather.

Avoid Driving on Holidays

The other bad time to be on the road is during holidays. People have too much to drink, or don’t get enough sleep, and drive when they shouldn’t. Even if you’re fine, the other drivers on the road might not be. If you can, spend a few more hours at your location and wait for the bad drivers to vacate the roads before you attempt to drive.

What to do When You Can’t Avoid the Accident

Even if you follow all of the tips above, you may still find yourself in an accident. If you do, it’s important that you know how to deal with the car accident. When involved in an accident, you should make sure everyone is okay, call the police, exchange information with the other drivers, get contact information from witnesses, watch what you say to the other drivers, take pictures, and contact a lawyer. You should also seek medical attention if you received even the slightest injury.

Hopefully the above advice will help keep you safe and out of a car accident. While not fool-proof, lowering your chances even a little bit will be helpful in the long run if you don’t have to deal with all of the issues that come with getting into an accident.