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By practicing some safer driving habits, people in California can prevent rear-end collisions from happening to them.
When on the road in California, drivers want to protect themselves from accidents of any kind. There are a lot of different ways that a car crash can happen, but rear-end collisions are the most common type of accident. While lots of bad driving habits can be eliminated in order to prevent this type of auto accident, there are also many proactive things people can do to lessen the likelihood that it will happen to them.
General advice for visual awareness
By making sure distractions are minimized and by paying closer attention, drivers make it easier to see potential accidents before they happen, and avoid them completely. One thing to keep in mind is the conditions of the road, as they can change without warning sometimes. It is also important for people to pay attention to the signal lights of other drivers, so as not to be caught off-guard by another car braking or changing lanes.
Traffic conditions change on a regular basis, and it is especially important to be wary of this when driving on the freeway. Noticing that traffic has slowed significantly up ahead gives someone ample opportunity to brake and slow down. Another good practice is to regularly check the rearview mirrors. A careful driver is always scanning the road, rather than driving with the gaze fixed in one place.
Specific tips for rear-end crash avoidance
One of the biggest things for drivers to consider is what a safe following distance is. Knowing how the vehicle being operated brakes will give a sense of stopping distance. A general good practice is to give at least four seconds of following distance between cars. When driving at high speeds, it is advisable to keep an even greater distance.
Tailgating is a dangerous behavior that can lead to sudden accidents. When a car’s brake lights come on, it is mean to give the driver behind a notice that the car will be slowing down. At a close enough distance, a sharp brake may not give enough warning, and the following driver may not have enough time to stop completely. A helpful thing to keep in mind is that if a vehicle’s brake lights come on and stay on, the vehicle will slow down quickly, whereas if the lights flash once or twice, the driver is slowing down slightly.
Those in California who have been in a rear-end collision may have had to deal with expensive auto repairs, and in some cases with unwanted medical bills. It may be possible to get financial compensation to deal with those costs. An attorney in the local area who practices motor vehicle accident law may be able to help in such cases.