In our last post we discussed the top three causes of car accidents in America—distracted driving, speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In this post we wish to address how to avoid these three common causes of auto accidents and how you can choose to become a safer driver.

If you analyze these causes you will quickly discover that they all three have one giant, glimmering, audacious commonality between them. All of them can be controlled by the decision of the driver. A driver can choose to avoid distractions, obey the speed limit, and designate a sober driver if they have been drinking. So let’s look at three ways to instantly improve our driving by counteracting the effects of the top three causes of car accidents.

Focus

The answer to avoiding the most prolific plague to driving today, that of distracted driving, is simply to focus.  Drivers who actively chose to avoid distractions while driving are exponentially safer on the roadways than those who do not.

The temptation to shoot out a quick text or read an important email from work can be great for many drivers, but that does not make it safe. Distracted driving is dangerous driving and those who choose to turn off the phone, put away the electric razor or makeup kit, and put down the cheeseburger can instantly improve the safety of their daily driving.

Slow Down

Not only can speeding put yourself and other drivers at risk, but it can also have costly consequence of getting pulled over and being issued a speeding ticket. Furthermore, the repeated cycle of speeding up and slowing down can do serious damage to the vehicle, incurring potentially costly repairs.

But the financial aspects aside, speeding is dangerous (number two on the list of top causes for car crashes in case you needed more proof than your common sense).  Choosing to slow down can save you money, both in the short term by avoiding traffic violations and in the long term by reducing the wear and tear on the car, but more importantly the choice to slow down can save you your life.

For those who struggle with speeding, consider planning more time to get places so you do not feel rushed and strive to remember that while speeding may feel like it gets you places faster, the reality is that you are not making up much time compared those who obey the posted speed limits.

Think Before you Drink

There are multiple options available for those who are too intoxicated to drive, such as designating a driver, calling a taxi or catching a ride with a friend. Some people may also have to choose not to drink if they know they will be driving later on that day or night. Whatever the method or decision, you can actively choose to avoid driving while intoxicated and by so doing help prevent auto accidents.

When you look at the top three causes of auto accidents you can see how easy it would be to avoid them altogether with a little extra planning, disciple, and effort.  Let’s make the roadways safer by choosing to focus, slow down, and avoid drinking and driving.