You can find yourself driving in heavy traffic at any time of the day, regardless of location. This is often the result of rush hour, an accident or construction.
Regardless of the reason for the traffic, it’s important to take a variety of steps that can help prevent an accident. Here are five things you need to do:
- Don’t drive aggressively: Defensive driving is a must in a traffic jam, as it keeps you safe and helps avoid trouble with other drivers.
- Keep a safe following distance: Just because traffic is moving slowly doesn’t mean you should tailgate the car in front of yours. A gap of three or more seconds is considered safe.
- Keep your eyes on the road ahead: Even if traffic begins to move, it could quickly come to a halt once again. Keeping your eyes ahead allows you to slow down as necessary.
- Avoid distractions: It’s not safe to drive distracted, even if you’re moving at a slow rate of speed.
- Use your mirrors: With these, you’re able to see most of what’s happening around you, allowing you to make informed decisions.
It’s never fun to drive in a traffic jam, but you may find yourself in this position more often than you would like.
If you’re injured in a car accident, move to the shoulder of the road (if possible) and call 911. As you wait for help, administer first aid with the idea of stabilizing your injuries.
As soon as you’re able to, file an insurance claim and consider any action you can take to hold the negligent driver responsible.