Car accidents can lead to serious injuries as well as very large vehicle-repair bills. As such, it's sensible to do what you can to avoid being involved in an accident. Here are two ways to do this.
Take good care of your tyres
Failing to make sure that your tyres are in roadworthy condition can significantly increase your chances of being involved in a car accident.
For example, if you do not replace your tyres after their tread depth gets too low, they will not be able to retain a strong grip on the road surfaces that you drive on. This reduction in traction could result in you struggling to come to a sudden stop if, for instance, an animal suddenly runs out in front of your car. This, in turn, could lead to you either colliding with the animal or swerving to avoid them and hitting another vehicle.
Similarly, if you do not pay close attention when topping up the air in your tyres, and as a result of this, the pressure levels inside them end up being too high, they will be far more susceptible to blowouts. If a blowout occurs when you're driving at high speeds down a busy road, you could lose control of your car and collide with another road user.
As such, it is vital to take good care of your tyres. Check their tread depths regularly and keep an eye on the pressure levels when topping up them up with air.
Take extra care when driving on icy or wet roads
You are far more likely to be in a car accident when driving during bouts of heavy rain or during periods when the temperatures drop below freezing.
There are two reasons for this. Firstly, wet or icy road surfaces reduce traction, which means there is a much greater chance that you will skid and hit another car when you try to brake or accelerate on this type of surface.
Secondly, visibility is often compromised during periods of bad weather. As such, you may struggle to spot and avoid hitting pedestrians or cyclists who walk or cycle in front of your car.
To prevent an accident from occurring when driving in these conditions, it is crucial to drive as slowly as possible, in order to minimise the chances of your tyres losing traction.
Additionally, you should press down on the brakes a bit sooner than you would when driving in good weather, as it can take significantly longer to bring your car to a complete stop on a wet or icy road.