Depending on where you live and where you work, highway driving may not be a daily occurrence for you. Often most of our day to day trips keep us on the same local streets and roads. However, holiday travel is different and often takes you on roads that you may not have traveled for since this time last year. To keep you and your loved ones safe when you hit the interstate this holiday travel season, keep these highway driving safety tips in mind:
- Choose your start time carefully. Before heading out for a long car trip, it is always a good idea to do some advanced planning. If possible, try to head out early in the day before the morning rush hour starts. Not only will you avoid the traffic hassles but also maximize you’re the number of daylight driving hours. Also, be sure to check the weather. Avoid starting a multi-state trek during poor weather conditions that can decrease visibility or make roadways hazardous. Sometimes leaving a few hours earlier or later than you originally planned can make a huge difference quality and safety of your trip.
- Know how to share the road with commercial vehicles. The sad reality is that the overwhelming majority of commercial vehicle accidents (more than 70 percent) are caused by drivers in passenger vehicles. Since highway driving requires sharing the road with these oversized trucks, it is important to understand how to maneuver around them when needed. Keep in mind these rules when driving around semi-trucks:
- Keep your distance. Four seconds is the minimum safe following distance for large trucks.
- Look for the mirrors. If you cannot see a truck’s mirrors, the driver of the truck cannot see you. Avoid driving in these blind spots.
- Never cut off a truck. It can take a semi-truck up to two football fields to come to a complete when traveling at 65 mph. Remember, a rear-end collision with a large commercial vehicle can be a life-ending event.
- Pass quickly. Do not take your sweet time when passing a semi-truck.
- Stay alert! The best safety tools any driver has is their basic senses. Most accidents happen when drivers occupy one or more of their senses with a task other than driving. For example, when a driver takes one or both of his or her hands off of the steering wheel, he or she is not able to swerve or maneuver properly to avoid hitting a road hazard. Likewise, a driver who has taken his or her eyes off the road, maybe to adjust the radio, would not see that the car in front of them has hit the brakes. Drivers put themselves and others in the most dangers when they take more than one of their needed senses out of the driving game. For instance, drivers who are the under the influence of alcohol or drugs have slower and delayed reaction times, and their overall judgment is impaired. Cell phones are similarly dangerous in that they can take a driver’s eyes, hands, and mind away from the task of driving.
If you suffered serious injuries after being involved in a highway accident, it is important to contact a skilled Kansas City Injury Attorney who can protect your rights! The Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. have more than 60 years of combined experience, helping accident victims in both Kansas and Missouri. Our seasoned Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys will fight to make sure that you receive proper compensation for your injuries. To see how our seasoned team of Injury Attorneys can help you, call Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. today at (816) 472-4673.