In real life, accidents do occur whether we like it or not. And yet we also need to pay attention to that old saying that ‘prevention is better than cure.’ You can follow some tips that will help you avoid some common car accidents. 1
Crashing into a car’s rear1
Rear-end crashes are common, and we can learn to avoid these. A tip to follow is to keep an adequate following distance. Remember, at 60 km/hr, you’ll cover 17 metres in one second. The average car’s length is about 5 metres, and so at that speed, you’ll need to be three car lengths behind a car. Should the vehicle in front of you come to a dead halt for some reason, you’ll have a sufficient 3 seconds to stop before hitting the rear end. If you only leave one car length between you and the front car, you’ll only have 1 second to react, which would be too little. When it’s raining, increase the following distance accordingly.
Deal with distractions1
It’s not that distractions overwhelm us and that we drive at their mercy. We can control distractions. You don’t have to answer that phone call and can return it a little later. Beware of anything that takes your eyes off the road, such as fiddling with air-con controls or radio. Avoid driving under the influence of alcohol. It will impair your driving ability, and South African law is close to becoming zero-tolerance to it.
Damage caused to a parked car1
To avoid other cars bumping into your parked vehicle, park further away from the busiest area. Besides, the exercise gained in walking the extra distance is worth it. Bear in mind though, not to park in an isolated area that is unsafe. Park your car in the middle of a parking bay or close to a pillar. Parking too close to a line will increase the chance of someone opening their car door and scratching your car.
One-car accidents1
This is when you hit a road barrier, an animal crossing the road or rubbish lying in the road. Avoid driving during bad weather when lack of visibility and slippery roads pose great danger. Despite being the only one on the road, stay alert to anything that may change in front of you. ‘Speed kills’ goes the slogan, and so it does. The faster you travel, the less control you’ll have over your car, and the longer the stopping distance will be. Most road fatalities occur because of speeding.
Damage caused to the windscreen1
Chips and cracks in the windscreen occur when stones come flying your way while travelling on the road. So, drive an extra-long distance behind vehicles such as a construction lorry, or if stones are lying on the road.
Despite our care, accidents still occur. For this very reason, car insurance is there to protect us financially. If you have no car cover or would like to change from your current one, contact PMD who has affordable car insurance products designed to meet South African motorists’ needs, which includes unique benefits like fixed premiums* and a reduce to zero excess* with world-class service. T’s and C’s apply.
Source:
1https://www.travelers.com/resources/auto/safe-driving/7-common-car-accidents-and-how-to-avoid-them
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.