Q&A for How to Avoid Car Accidents

Drunk drivers, distracted drivers, inexperienced or incompetent drivers, reckless drivers, dangerous weather conditions, road hazards, criminals on the run, and so on. Most accidents are preventable by driving safely and being alert. Follow the guidelines in the article.

Discourage reckless driving if the driver engages in it. Pay attention and warn the driver if it looks like an accident is about to happen and they haven't noticed/reacted (this would be quite rare).

It depends on whether it was a preventable accident or not. If it was a preventable accident, then think of the ways you could have avoided it. For example, suppose you approach a yellow light, and you suddenly brake, but a guy from behind rear ends you because he was tailgating you. In this scenario, you are not considered at-fault, however, it it preventable if you glance at your mirrors periodically. This way you would have seen the tailgater and perhaps chosen to drive through the yellow light. However, you can't really derive techniques to avoid all accidents.

Well, you really can't. You can drive defensively, however. To anticipate the actions of other drivers, you should always look at you mirrors and blind spots. Give cars in front of you plenty of room, and take care not to stay in the blind spots of other vehicles.

Make sure your lights are working. Avoid flooded roads and drive slower than you would normally.

There are many causes of road accidents. Inclement weather and distracted driving are two examples.

A drunk driver might be driving unusually fast or slow, running traffic lights or stop signs, or swerving between lanes. If you encounter a drunk driver, you should get his or her license number, then pull over and contact the police.

When driving at night always leave your headlights on so you can see whatever is in front of you. Use low beam headlights when driving through a populated area like a city street or highway. In a low populated area such as a rural back road, use your high beam lights. If you need to wear glasses for vision, make sure you are wearing them. It can also help to drive in places you are familiar with; if you're unfamiliar with the area, drive more slowly.

If you witness street racing, report it to the police, as it is really dangerous and places residents, pedestrians, pets and local wildlife at risk. When you call, give the dispatcher your name, location, address and details of the cars you saw were racing.