Tips to Ensure Your Safety On the Road

• September 10, 2018
• Car Accidents
• Personal Injury Law
• Slow Down Asheville

Asheville Auto Accident Attorney Lakota Denton

Have you ever wondered why insurance companies offer better rates for more experienced drivers and higher premiums for young drivers with less experience behind the wheel?  Statistically speaking, a young man is more likely to get in a wreck than a middle-aged woman, and their insurance premiums will reflect this.  For example, it is not uncommon to see a first-time young male driver quoted upwards of $200/mo. for auto insurance. Conversely, a middle-aged driver with a clean driving history can get much better rates, based on their history and the demographic bracket they fall into. Insurance companies are assessing their risk, as they’re basically agreeing to be financially responsible for a driver’s decisions and judgment behind the wheel.

Insurance companies estimate that a typical driver will need to file an insurance claim, on average, once every 19 years. This includes accidents that were someone else’s fault or even something like a person hitting your car whit’s its parked on a street. Regardless of the reason, it’s expected that throughout the span of your car driving years, you will likely file at least 3 claims against an insurance company.

Thinking (Driving) Ahead

One of the most fundamental tips for safe driving is Driving Ahead of yourself.  Being present and reactive to the moment is critical, but so is anticipating road conditions and traffic ahead.  Make sure you leave enough time on your commute so that you’re not speeding or rushing, or stressing the clock.  Hurried drivers are more prone to make hasty and unwise decisions on the road so be sure to resource yourself properly by making sure you have enough time to get where you’re going without being in a big rush.   If a lane is ending in 1 mile, get into the correct lane now, not just before the lane is ending in front of you.  Brake lights on the horizon?  Start to slow down now, so that drivers behind you can see your movements with plenty of time to react accordingly.

Taking care of your vehicle

Another thing to keep in mind is that your vehicle is going to require maintenance, and owning and properly maintaining a vehicle can be costly at times.  Why is this relevant to driving safety?  Well, if you know to expect maintenance costs, and are budgeting appropriately, you are going to take better care of your vehicle, and most likely will drive more safely in an attempt to keep those costs at a minimum.  For example, keeping a budget in mind for the expected costs of vehicle ownership will have an effect on your cars performance and ability to navigate split-second decisions.  It’s estimated that owning a car costs about $3k a year, including tags, registration, vehicle tax, repairs, maintenance, and insurance.   Letting maintenance and repairs slide can mean that your car is less able than it could be to help you avoid hazards in the roadway, or other drivers unexpected behavior.

Keeping an eye on the big picture.

When it comes to safe driving, it’s not all about reaction time and defensive driving. There are other, bigger picture things to keep in mind that factor into making sure you are as safe on the road as possible.  Keeping an open mind to learning new information and driving styles is key, for one.  Between rules that change from state to state, to advents in new technology designed to assist drivers, there is always new information to be integrating, which helps keep you sharp and current on what other drivers around us are doing as well. 

Contact Us

If you have been in an auto accident, and have questions, talk to an experienced North Carolina car accident lawyer.  Our team is standing by to talk to you and answer all of your questions.  Lakota Denton is an Asheville Auto Accident Attorney that gets results.  Call us today for a free, no-pressure consultation.