Driving Practices That Will Put You in Danger

By John Kristensen of Kristensen, LLP posted in Car Accident on Saturday, April 27, 2019.

The open road is a unique place for a number of reasons. For the majority of us, it’s the most responsibility we’re all given when it comes to being trusted with the well-being of others. It also relies on a complex system of laws to protect all drivers and passengers, and we rely on these legal expectations more than we often realize.

Driving is a dangerous activity, but also a routine and sometimes even mundane one. The more experience you have driving, the greater your instincts are for performing safely, and anticipating the performance of other driver, too. However, that same expectation can lead to extremely dangerous, even lethal, circumstances if a driver deviates from their legal responsibilities. One simple example of this is traffic lights – we all know green means go and red means stop. When we follow those rules, we give it little thought, but if a driver runs a red light, there’s little someone caught in the intersection can do to protect themselves. Most of the time, drivers on the road follow the laws and everyone gets to their destinations safely. Sometimes, however, an irresponsible driver violates the rules of the road, threatening the well-being of everyone around them.

The most common every day laws that are broken that place surrounding drivers in jeopardy are those related to speeding and the use of handheld electronics, though there are more than a few ways drivers are guilty of placing themselves and other motorists in danger:

• Reckless driving comes in many different forms, and failing to abide by the speed limit disrupts the flow of traffic and can easily cause a collision.
• Texting and driving, or any use of a mobile phone while driving, leads to distracted drivers that can miss important events happening on the road and risk putting their lives and the lives of other motorists in danger.
• Drinking and driving is, unfortunately, another exceptionally common safety law that is disregarded by the few who then risk the lives of the many.
• There are other more insidious and less thought of ways to drive impaired – such as driving while tired, which reduces reaction times, cognitive abilities, and can even lead to falling asleep at the wheel.If you or someone you love have been the victim of an irresponsible driver that disregarded the rules of the road, please reach out to our offices so that we can act on your behalf to ensure justice is served and they can be held responsible for their actions.