Many motorists feel confident behind the wheel and assume that they are safe from a car or truck accident in Hollywood or their community. While confidence is important when driving, overconfidence can be dangerous, according to safety experts. There are certain red flag signs that you should take steps to make yourself a safer driver by taking additional driving courses or taking other steps to keep yourself and others safe.
For example, you may want to consider additional courses or driving instruction if:
1) You have recently had a serious health concern or condition diagnosed. Any time that you are given a diagnosis for a serious condition or are prescribed a new medication, it is important to ask your doctor and pharmacist how your medication or condition could affect your driving. If your medical situation affects mobility, response times, or any other skill you need for driving you may need rehabilitation or other services to ensure that you get the driving support you need.
2) You have recently made a major move. Have you recently moved from a large city to a rural area? Have you recently moved to a large city? Have you made a move from a warm climate to a place with winter driving? Changes in your climate can mean big changes for you as a driver. For example, if you are not used to driving in winter and suddenly find yourself in a city with harsh snows, you will want to take additional classes or instruction to cope with these changes. Even moving from a rural area to a big city may mean that you need to brush up on parallel parking and other skills to be safe.
3) You have recently had a number of minor fender-benders or near misses. Near misses and minor accidents are a serious sign that you need additional assistance with your driving. Ignoring this sign can mean that you end up in a more serious car accident in Hollywood or your community. Get a checkup from your doctor to see whether there is a medical reason for the issue and get an evaluation from a driving instructor or driving professional to see whether there are specific skills you can work on to reduce your chances of a collision.
4) You are a new driver with less than one year of experience. Teen drivers and new drivers have a higher risk of traffic crashes in Hollywood and other communities because they have less experience and have had less time to practice their driving. In many cases, driver’s education classes feature only a limited time of in-car training and it can be a big benefit for new drivers to get additional one-on-one training with a driving instructor and to get defensive driving training.
5) Your confidence in driving has slipped or is low. If you have been in a serious broadside collision or another type of accident, you may need some training, counseling, or simply some time to get your confidence back. Being proactive in this situation is important, though. You do not want to make mistakes because you are too timid on the roads.
6) It has been more than 15 years since you have had any driving instruction. Most drivers only get driving instruction when they get their license, but this can be a mistake. Driving conditions and even driving laws change. Occasional refresher courses can help drivers deal with faster roads, new distractions, and new driving laws.
7) Friends and family tease you about your bad driving or refuse to drive with you. Sometimes, those closest to us see dangers that we cannot see. This is one area where we want to take the input seriously.
If you have been injured by an unsafe driver, contact Flaxman Law Group to schedule a free case consultation to find out whether you have a legal claim.