If you drive, you’ve likely had an accident. At the least, you’ve come close enough to feel the rush of adrenaline as your car comes way-too-near a utility pole, or guard rail, or the rear end of the vehicle in front of you. And while that heart-pumping moment is great when you’re flying through the air on an amusement park ride, when it’s fear of an impending crash making you sweat, it’s no fun at all.
There are ways to prevent and avoid these near-misses and close shaves. It takes a little foresight, and a bit of foreknowledge, to maximize your safety. Today the Auto Body Guru is here with both.
Over 2 million rear end collisions are reported each year. It’s easily the most common type of accident. According to a study by engineers at Georgia Tech, drivers typically have a difficult time determining when a car in front of them is going slower if the speed difference is less than ten miles an hour. See, even your depth perception can work against you.
Fortunately, you’re ahead of the curve if you know actions to help you avoid these run-ins with rear ends, whether you’re the one in front or behind. Avoidance of these wrecks on your end (yes, pun intended) is, more than anything else, about paying attention. Here are a few tips you may already know, but maybe don’t practice as much as you could.
Leave your tailgating skills in the stadium parking lot. Hopefully, those skills are more about grill technique than following other vehicles too closely. If you can’t see ahead of the other car (a particular challenge with a large SUV in front of you), you might be too close. And remember that cars will take at least 10 feet per mile-per-hour to stop…often more than that.
Ditch your distractions. Texting while driving is not only dangerous, it’s illegal in many states. Even talking on your cellphone is a distraction, no matter how well you drive one-handed. And do you really need to fiddle with that stereo right now? If not, leave it alone, and leave yourself alert and better protected.
No Blind Faith. Be careful to avoid another driver’s blind spot. If that driver needs to swerve into your lane, you’ll likely brake hard because of the surprise visitor in your space, thus exposing you to a potential rear-end wreck.
If you have any questions about repairing your collision damage, how we work with insurance companies, the auto parts we would recommend, or if there’s anything we can do for you or your car, give Kevin or Jason a call at Center City Collision at 513-631-2406, or email us at cccollision@gmail.com.