In 2021, 5,759 people in St. Louis dealt with car accidents, and sadly, 51 lost their lives. If you get visibly hurt in a crash, it can cost around $221,000, but the real toll goes beyond just medical bills and missed work. If a careless driver causes you harm, it’s an option to seek compensation, and having a team of car accident lawyers is crucial for dealing with these situations.
While accidents can’t always be avoided, there are things you can do to lower the risk. Unfortunately, not everyone cares about safety, so staying alert on the road is vital. To learn some tips on reducing the chances of getting hurt, dealing with trauma, and cutting down on expenses after a car accident in Missouri, keep reading.
Slow Down and Follow the Speed Limit
Speeding is a risk factor that increases the chance of an auto accident occurring. The faster you are going, the greater your chance of suffering a serious injury or dying. Speed also reduces your opportunity to see a danger ahead of you. This makes it harder to control your vehicle and increases the time you need to stop.
Be familiar with the speed limits along your route and do your best to follow them. Avoid speeding through intersections or aggressively maneuvering through traffic. Even if this does not allow you to avoid all wrecks, it can reduce the severity of any crash you are involved in.
Wear Your Seat Belt at All Times
Always wear a seat belt any time that you are driving or riding in a car. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts have saved hundreds of thousands of lives over the past 50 years.
Seat belts do not protect you from all injuries, but they can prevent you from sustaining permanent and catastrophic harm. Seat belts can also prevent you from sustaining airbag injuries in a crash.
You should also ensure that children riding with you are seated in an appropriate car safety seat or restraint system. Be familiar with how your child’s safety seat works and how to use it. Consider having all children under the age of 13 ride in the back seat of the car, where it is safer.
Be Careful at Intersections and Other Dangerous Areas
Intersections, merge points, and areas where traffic from one or more directions crosses each others’ paths are dangerous. Individuals must follow right-of-way laws to avoid an accident. Not every driver is familiar with all the right-of-way rules and the situations in which they apply.
Therefore, when you approach these areas where traffic converges from several directions, take your time and slow down. If you are unsure of who has the right of way, allow other drivers to proceed before continuing. Finally, be alert for traffic signs and signals that direct you on how to navigate the area.
Put Distractions Away
Your cell phone is just one potential distraction in your vehicle. Your car’s radio, entertainment system, food, and passengers can all draw your attention and hands away from driving safely. Over 3,500 individuals were killed in 2021 in distracted driving accidents in the U.S.
Reduce the crash risk by turning your cell phone on silent mode. Set your entertainment system settings while your car is stopped. Do not consume hot or messy foods or beverages while driving. Finally, ask your passengers to remain still and to keep distracting conversation or behavior to a minimum.
Carry Sufficient Insurance Benefits and Coverage
Having enough insurance coverage will not prevent you from being struck by a negligent driver. However, sufficient insurance coverage will help prevent you from having to shoulder the financial burden of a catastrophic and costly accident.
Having enough insurance to address your immediate needs can fill the gap between what you receive and what you need. This can help you throughout the process of obtaining the full amount of compensation you deserve. Adding coverage for uninsured or underinsured motorist accidents can provide additional protections to you.
If an Accident Does Happen, Prioritize Your Safety
Immediately after a crash, it might not be evident that you have been hurt or how seriously you have been injured. When you doubt the extent of your injuries, you should be overly cautious and be medically evaluated. Doing so promptly can detect any traumatic brain injury, organ damage, or other severe injury that might not show symptoms right away.
Failing to take medical conditions seriously will increase the cost of treating them later, so it is best to act early and decisively.
You Can Mitigate Your Risk on the Road
You cannot control others or their decisions when they are behind the wheel. However, following these safety tips can put you in a position where you can avoid some collisions. For those accidents that you cannot escape, you may still be able to limit the financial consequences you would otherwise experience.
You do not need to suffer needlessly after a car accident. Contacting an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.
