Summer Road Trip Tips – Staying Safe on the Road

By Greg Kohn
Partner

With summer in full swing, many people are hitting the road to visit family, enjoy a vacation, or just explore a new area. However, many other motorists can be easily distracted by something outside, their cell phone, or another passenger, and might not be watching the road very closely. Families who are in a rush to get to their destination might be speeding or weaving in and out of traffic. It can often be impossible to avoid a collision given the circumstances.

Car accidents can lead to devastating injuries and even death, so keep these summer road trip tips in mind as you take to the road this summer. If you do find yourself a victim of a summer road trip accident, contact our New Jersey car accident attorneys.

How to Stay Safe On The Road

  • Practice Defensive Driving: Constantly paying attention to other drivers is a good strategy to mitigate the risk of an accident. Keep a cushion of space between you and other cars and always assume they are not focusing on the road as much as you. Driving defensively helps you to expect the unexpected and gives you time to react to avoid an accident.
  • Create a Safe Driving Plan: Before setting out on a road trip, take time to create a driving plan to help you schedule time on the road. Long durations in the car can lead to fatigue, so build in times to stop for food or just to stretch your legs.
  • Don’t’ Drive Under the Influence: Driving while high or drunk is a serious offense that can lead to strict punishments, especially if other people are in the car. It also places other drivers at significant risks since impaired drivers have diminished reaction and response times. Instead, let someone else take the keys to keep everyone safe.
  • Slow Dow: A lot of traffic accidents are caused by speeding drivers, especially if people are moving quickly around sharp turns or curves. Watch your speed while out on the road and make sure to watch out for road signs and slow down before coming up to a curve.
  • Properly Secure Items: Before setting out on a trip, make sure to securely stow any cargo on the roof of your car. A falling bag or box can fall into the path of another driver and cause an accident. Something that falls inside the car could leave you distracted and not watching the road. Keep important items like toll road fees and parking garage passes in easy reach so you can grab them when needed.

Taking a road trip can be an enjoyable way to spend the summer, but it is important to stay safe on the road to reduce the chances of injury for you or someone you love. If you happen to be in a car accident, an experienced car accident attorney will be able to advise you on your options and help you work with insurance companies. Contact our New Jersey personal injury attorneys today for a free case evaluation.

About the Author
Greg Kohn is a partner at Nagel Rice and specializes in complex civil litigation cases, including professional malpractice, personal injury, class actions, wrongful death, products liability, and commercial litigation.  He has extensive experience representing clients in both state and federal court. Greg has tried many jury trials to verdict and has recovered over $50 million in settlements and verdicts in all types of personal injury matters including automobile accidents, wrongful death cases, slip and falls, and other catastrophic injury cases. Greg also handles medical malpractice cases, involving misdiagnoses, wrongful birth, and delayed cancer diagnosis. If you have questions regarding this article, you can contact Greg here.