Accidents on the road can cause traffic congestion and delay your travels. They can also create hazardous conditions that lead to additional wrecks. The following are some tips for keeping yourself and your passengers safe when you encounter a roadside accident, construction, or other delays on the road.
Don’t Get Distracted If You Are Stuck In Traffic
A wreck on the highway, road construction, lane closures, and other delays can cause traffic to slow down significantly and even come to a complete stop. This is not the time to check your email, make a phone call, or read and send text messages. With driver inattention, the stop and go pattern in a traffic jam can lead to rear-end collisions or multi-vehicle pile-ups.
Make Safety Your Top Priority
Tempers can flare in heavy traffic congestion on the road, particularly during rush hour when people are in a hurry to get to work on time or return home after a long day. Some drivers exhibit aggressive driving behavior in traffic, violating right-of-way and cutting other drivers off. Stay calm and get out of the way of any aggressive driver. When an accident causes a traffic jam or major delays, drive as diligently and defensively as possible to avoid being involved in a crash.
Maintain A Safe Distance
Tailgating is dangerous driving behavior. It is essential to maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the one ahead, particularly in congested traffic. When there is a wreck on the road, all other vehicles may need to go around the crash. Some drivers tend to slow down to “rubberneck,” which only adds to congestion and delays. It is not uncommon for a driver to see brake lights ahead and have to come to a complete stop to avoid a crash. Maintaining a safe distance can help you avoid a rear-end collision in heavy traffic.
Take An Alternate Route
If you know about a delay on your regular route caused by an accident, lane closures, or construction, take an alternate way to avoid the worst of the traffic congestion. Even though it might take you 10 or 20 minutes longer to arrive at your destination by a different route, it could save you 30 minutes or more of being stuck in stopped or slow-moving traffic. More importantly, it could help reduce the risk of being involved in a crash.
Make Sure You Have Sufficient Auto Insurance Coverage
Car insurance is more important than ever in today’s world of many more licensed drivers and not that many more roads. Accidents, road construction, and other factors that cause traffic congestion have become commonplace in many areas. No matter how diligently you drive, you are still at risk of getting into an accident caused by a negligent driver who may or may not have sufficient auto insurance to cover the damage. Our knowledgeable agent will be happy to review your car insurance policy with you to help ensure you have the coverage you need at the best available rates.