About 90% of American households have their own personal vehicles. They use these vehicles on a day-to-day basis. They are technically a part of American life. However, without the necessary preparation or know-how, those who drive these vehicles can be dangerous and cause severe accidents.
Vehicular accidents are actually quite common in the US when compared to other countries. The country suffers 50% more vehicular accidents when compared to other high-income-earning countries. About 4.4 million injuries occur in these accidents. These injuries are severe enough to require medical attention, costing $380 million in medical costs annually. Nearly 38,000 Americans die in these accidents every year. It is considered one of the leading causes of death for those aged 1-54. Most of those who die from accidents are cyclists and pedestrians.
These statistics show how dangerous it is for anyone to drive their vehicles, whether cars, motorbikes, or bicycles, without being equipped with the proper know-how of driving in public. Here are some ways you necessary knowledge you should know when driving your vehicle.
Have Insurance
Insurance is a prime necessity for many vehicle owners in the United States. It is essential to have some vehicular insurance when driving because you might go to jail without it.
Many Americans don’t know this, but you can’t drive if you can’t demonstrate that you can pay for potential damages that your vehicle might cause. This is a proactive law that helps protect both private and public properties from being damaged without any source of compensation. This is helpful for both you and anyone that might get into an accident. It’s also helpful if your accident damages a publicly-owned area.
Although this law can be interpreted and avoided in many ways, such as by always carrying a decent amount of cash when driving. But no one can really determine how much damage their accident would cost, and without having the appropriate money to pay for it, you will go to jail. This is where insurance comes in handy.
This is essential for anyone who owns any vehicle. But it might vary how you can get the insurance for your vehicle. For example, you should consult a lawyer specializing in bicycle accidents before getting insurance for your bike. There are many other unique examples such as this, especially when you’re driving niche vehicles like electric cars. Getting insurance can provide you the safety net you need when driving out there on the road. It can also help you protect others from any potential accidents you might cause.
Don’t Tailgate
Tailgating is a dangerous act of driving where you drive close enough to a vehicle in front of you that braking wouldn’t be enough to stop a collision from happening. This law applies to all sorts of vehicles.
You might ask right now as to why you witness so many people tailgating others in situations like heavy traffic. Well, this is because this isn’t a clear-defined law, and enforcing this law is almost near impossible because everyone would have to stay about six to ten feet away from the car in front of them. But this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t follow this law.
Most rear-end collisions happen because people don’t observe this law when driving. Although these collisions aren’t the most fatal compared to other collisions, they can still cause injuries and can be pretty costly. Additionally, for those who drive motorbikes or bicycles, this might be fatal if they collide with a car or a truck’s rear end. So follow this particular law the best way you can, even if it isn’t widely enforced.
Follow the Speed Limit
Every state has a particular speed limit that all motorists must follow. This varies depending on which state you live in and what kind of road you are driving on. Disobeying this particular law can lead you to be detained.
Everyone must abide by the speed limit when driving on a specific road. When there is no sign showing this number, you must follow your state’s general speed limit. Moreover, most motorists don’t know this, but there is such thing as going too slow. If your vehicle can’t maintain the proper speed on the road, you might be get ticketed.
During this situation, you should drive on the right side of the road, especially when you’re on the highway. This prevents you from clogging traffic and keeps you safe from driving faster than you are.
Here are some essential things you should know before you start driving. Whatever vehicle you might have, may it be a car or a bicycle, you still need to abide by these laws. If you don’t, there is a good chance that you will be detained or get into an accident, so follow these laws the best way you can to stay safe while you are on the road.
