Car manufacturers are constantly rolling out new safety features and technology and many people look to the latest in technology to help prevent car accidents and injuries. From weight-sensitive child seats to smart roads, there is no doubt that technology could help prevent crashes and save lives in the future. However, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, two of the simplest things that every driver can do could help prevent well over 100 000 injuries annually – at no cost and with very little effort.
Researchers concluded that 54,000 serious traffic accident-related injuries could be prevented each year if everyone wore seatbelts. The same CDC study found that a further 82,000 serious car accident injuries could be prevented annually if all motorists drove with a blood alcohol limit of under 0.08 grams per deciliter.
Buckling up and avoiding drinking and driving are very simple ways to avoid serious car collisions in Homestead and other communities, but many drivers continue to take risks. There are a few simple ways to ensure that drivers always remember to take these two simple life-saving steps when driving:
1) Encourage stronger penalties against DUI drivers. Drunk drivers in Homestead and other Florida communities claim lives and all too often these drivers are repeat offenders. Encouraging stronger penalties is one way to ensure that drivers who are irresponsible have their driving privileges taken away.
2) Create campaigns for seat belts and DUI driving. Education campaigns and enforcement campaigns have been proven effective in the past, because they remind drivers about the importance of buckling up and driving sober. These campaigns can also put some social pressure on drivers to drive more safely.
3) Support technology that encourages sober and safe driving. Cars that won’t start up if a driver cannot pass a breathalyzer test and audio alarms that sound when seatbelts are unbuckled are two simple ways to ensure that drivers are promoted to make safer decisions each time they drive.
4) Make the right decision each time. You can’t affect how other drivers decide to drive, but you can make the choice to be a safe motorist yourself. Driving sober and undistracted and buckling up are two simple ways you can ensure that you stay safer on the roads.
5) Seeking legal relief against unsafe drivers. If you have been injured by a drunk driver or reckless driver, you may have a legal claim against the driver and their insurance company. Pursuing a claim can send the message that reckless driving will not be tolerated and usually results in higher insurance rates for unsafe drivers, which can push these motorists to make changes in how they drive.
If you have been injured by a reckless driver, contact Flaxman Law Group, a law firm with three offices in South Florida. The caring legal staff at our law firm would be pleased to meet with you in a free accident consultation to review the specifics of your potential case and to give you a thorough and honest legal evaluation of your situation.