Each time you get behind the wheel, you put your life and health at risk. Every year, 43,000 Americans die in car accidents. Another 2.4 million are injured. But there are smart ways to avoid accidents—practical strategies that are just as important to health and longevity as a whole-foods diet and regular exercise.
The time of day with the highest concentration of accidents is the evening commute, which is from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. More drivers are out on the road, and they’re in a rush to get home. That means they’re less likely to have their full attention on the road. However, most fatal accidents occur at night, because of decreased visibility, increased driver fatigue, and a higher likelihood of people driving drunk. The most dangerous day for driving is Saturday. More people are away from work and school, and there are more cars on the road for more hours of the day. Alcohol consumption is higher on the weekends—making Saturday evening and night especially dangerous. Bottom line: Be particularly mindful of the following strategies when driving during these riskiest times.
Driving is a potentially dangerous activity—and should command your full attention. An estimated 18 percent of car crashes are caused by distracted driving. There are several distractions that can increase danger while you drive.
Smart phones. Smart phones are the most common—and most dangerous—distraction for drivers. Oftentimes, we think it’s harmless to take a quick look at our phones while driving—to switch a song, read a text, or check the map, particularly on an open stretch of road or while stopped at a red light. But even a momentary lapse of attention can create the conditions for a fatal accident. To avoid the temptation to look at your phone while driving, place it somewhere that is inaccessible to you, like the glove compartment or the back seat.
If you rely on your phone for maps or audio entertaining, connect it to your car via AUX or bluetooth, and give the phone to a passenger to help you navigate or choose songs.
Eating. 60 percent of Americans admit to regularly eating in the car. Busy schedules and long commutes often lead us to pick up a meal at a drive-through or convenience store. It might seem fine to opt for a meal that’s easy to eat with one hand—like a burger or a wrap—so you can eat and drive at the same time. But a basic tenet of safe driving is to always keep both hands on the wheel. Driving with one hand decreases your reaction time and your ability to swiftly maneuver out of danger. Using two hands gives you the necessary control and finesse to execute proper turns, while driving with one hand can leave you more prone to spinning out or crashing.
Infotainment. Built-in infotainment systems can help prevent drivers from being distracted by their smartphones, but if you’re not careful, they can also become a source of distraction. Constant split-second breaks to adjust cabin climate or to check maps can draw your focus away from the road, increasing your risk for an accident. If your vehicle allows you to adjust music tracks or temperature via physical buttons on your steering wheel—something you can do without looking—opt for these instead of a touch screen. However, it’s best to set yourself up for a comfortable, enjoyable ride before you start driving, rather than constantly adjusting while you’re on the road.
After you start your car, take a few moments to find a temperature that works for you, load up a playlist, and look at the overall shape of your map—all of which can stop you from constantly looking at the display.
Tailgating increases both the risk and fatality rate of major accidents. That’s because your car’s stopping distance is often much farther than you think. The National Association of City Transportation Officials has found that the stopping distance for a car traveling 60 mph is around 300 feet—with a stopping time of just 3.4 seconds. If you’re following a vehicle too closely and they have to suddenly stop, you’re less able to stop your vehicle in time—increasing your overall chance of hitting them, and hitting them at a higher speed. It also leaves the cars behind you with less time to slow down, as they only see your brake lights activate at the last minute. Bottom line: Never tailgate.
If someone is tailgating you—stay calm. Falling victim to road rage and tapping your breaks to send a message to the driver behind you can put you at increased risk of being hit from behind. Flooring the gas and driving faster encourages the driver behind you to match your speed.
If you can, simply let the tailgating driver pass. If you’re on a multilane road, carefully change lanes when it is safe to do so and let the tailgater go ahead. If you are on a single-lane road, pull over at the closest parking lot, gas station or highway exit. This might add a couple of minutes to your trip—and a lot of years to your life!
To keep yourself and others safe at stoplights and stop signs, always bring your vehicle to a complete stop—and leave as much space as possible for pedestrians and other vehicles. On busier roads, most stoplights have an easily visible stop line marked on the pavement. Always stop just before this line. If there is no visible stop line, use the crosswalk as your guide. If there’s no crosswalk, stop before you enter the intersection, making sure the front of your vehicle is not jutting into the intersection itself. All of these instructions have one thing in common: Stop well before the areas where pedestrians or cars are likely to travel, keeping you—and them—out of harm’s way.
Don’t engage. Driving with your judgment clouded by extreme emotion is very dangerous. If a driver is yelling at you, don’t make eye contract or respond to them. Simply continue to practice safe driving. If applicable, let them pass you and continue on their way.
If the driver pursues you, don’t drive back to your home or the home of a friend or loved one. Instead, drive to the nearest police station, hospital, or fire station. If these aren’t easily accessible, drive to the nearest public parking lot where you think there may be civilian witnesses. Once stopped, don’t leave your car or attempt to diffuse the situation.
Rainy or snowy road conditions can increase your stopping distance and decrease the car’s handling. Whatever the form of precipitation, decrease your speed and maintain a wider gap between you and the nearest driver. If the precipitation intensifies to the point where you have difficulty seeing far in front of you, find the nearest place to safely stop your vehicle and wait to drive again until the storm dies down.
For snow, install winter tires (“snow tires”) as soon as the seasons begin to change. They help reduce your stopping distance, and they reduce the risk of losing traction or spinning out.
If you do lose traction, remain calm, don’t slam the brakes or make any sudden jerking motions with the wheel, which can cause you to skid even further. Instead, gently ease off the gas and slowly apply the brake, while pointing the steering wheel in the direction you want to travel.
When it comes to drinking and driving, follow this rule: any amount is too much.
Safe driving requires swift reaction time, sustained focus, and clear judgment, all of which are compromised by alcohol. Even the slightest amount of alcohol intoxication—in other words, drunkenness—places you and all of your passengers in extreme danger.
Legally, the threshold for intoxicated driving is a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08%. But there is no set amount of drinks that can reliably be counted on to equal this threshold, as BAC can vary based on factors like age, gender, and weight. If you plan on having any drinks at all, you should arrive with a plan for getting home that doesn’t involve driving.
