When every driver makes an effort to avoid rear-end accidents, lives can be saved and injuries prevented. Rear-end collisions are among the most common types of crashes on the road. While drivers who hit the back of other vehicles are usually held responsible for causing rear-end crashes, all drivers can do their part to try to prevent these accidents before they happen.
What You Should Know to Avoid Getting Hit from Behind
Drivers can do certain things to try to avoid being rear-ended. When you are on the road, you can reduce the chances a motorist will run into you by:
- Driving at a consistent speed when possible. If you’re speeding up and then suddenly slowing down for no apparent reason, it makes it hard for other drivers to adjust their own speed to yours. A driver behind you who does not see you slow down and who is not expecting you to reduce your speed could end up hitting the back of your car.
- Leaving yourself space. When you stop at an intersection or behind another car in traffic, don’t pull up right behind the other vehicle. If you do, you will have nowhere to go if another driver is approaching behind you and doesn’t slow down. You could also end up rear-ending the person in front of you if your own car is hit.
- Don’t cut anyone off. Try not to unexpectedly pull out in front of any other car, as you can put the other motorist in a difficult situation. If you change lanes or otherwise pull out unexpectedly in front of another driver, the motorist may be unable to stop on time and could hit you.
There are also things drivers can do to avoid rear ending others. To try to reduce the chances your vehicle will hit the back of someone else’s car:
- Avoid tailgating. Leaving enough space between your car and the car which is in front of your own can provide you with more time to stop. This means if the other car in front of you does something you weren’t expecting, you’ll have time to hit the brakes before hitting the other car.
- Stay within the speed limit. You shouldn’t go faster than it is safe to drive because this could lengthen the time it takes you to stop your vehicle. This could cause you to hit the car in front of you.
- Consider a car with crash avoidance technology. Many cars have emergency braking systems and the car will issue a warning and even stop automatically before hitting a vehicle in front.
These tips can help to reduce the chances of rear-end accidents, which can reduce the odds of serious injuries or fatalities which occur on the road. All drivers should take crash prevention seriously to help save lives.
