Heavy traffic, bad weather and unexpected events all create safety hazards on the roads of New York. Although traffic fatalities have trended downward in recent years, the president and CEO of the National Safety Council believes room for improvement remains. The death toll, which reached about 40,000 lives lost around the country in 2018, still represents a huge problem in the view of the NSC. Every year also produces roughly 4.5 million injuries as well. People have the ability to adopt behaviors that could inspire a driving culture focused on safety.
With most drivers possessing smartphones, people need to resist the urge to text or make calls while behind the wheel. Even the use of hands-free Bluetooth devices has the potential to distract. In addition to taking drivers’ eyes off of the road, electronic devices could prompt people to take their hands off of steering wheels. Keeping at least one hand on the steering wheel serves as a basic safety standard because drivers must be ready to steer around problems without warning.
Emotional pressures also contribute to accidents. Frustration with traffic jams or by the actions of other motorists might cause some people to drive aggressively and potentially cause accidents. For the sake of safety, drivers should consciously strive to remain calm and patient. Negative attitudes behind the wheel could result in road rage incidents.
Car accidents caused by a negligent driver can result in catastrophic injuries to occupants of other vehicles, requiring lengthy and expensive medical care and treatment. Victims might want to have the assistance of an experienced attorney when seeking compensation for their losses.