Everyone likes to think of themselves as safe drivers. After all, many of us get into our cars every day without incident. But the fact remains that driving requires a focus on safety. Regardless of any individual's skill behind the wheel, there are some conditions that are inherently more dangerous than others. Knowing where danger can come from may help keep both you and your passengers safe.
When you're going fast
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, speeding is one of the major contributing factors when rollovers are involved. In fact, the foundation's data reported that 75 percent of rollover accidents resulting in death took place on rural roads with a 55-mph speed limit or higher.
Of course, that's not to say that speed is bad and you should never travel fast – in fact, keeping your speed low on highways can actually increase danger. In fact, Esurance noted that some states administer traffic tickets for driving too slowly that are actually more expensive than speeding tickets. However, drivers must recognize the added danger of traveling at higher speeds.
When it's dark outside
Nighttime is much more dangerous for drivers than the daytime. According to data from the National Safety Council, Traffic death rates are three times as high at night as they are during the day. Conditions are worsened due to reduced visibility. Interesting to note is that around 66 percent of nighttime traffic fatalities affected people who weren't properly buckled up.
In a similar vein, weekends tend to be more dangerous statistically, Forbes stated. However, while nighttime accidents are often due to a lack of visibility, weekend crashes are a result of simply more cars being on the road.
Making things safer
Just because certain conditions can be more dangerous doesn't mean that drivers should avoid them completely. In fact, there are quite a few steps that can be taken to keep everyone safe. The biggest and most important thing any motorist can do is drive with greater awareness of his or her surroundings. Use safety measure like seatbelts and, above all, eliminate distractions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was quick to point out that cellphone use can reduce driver focus by as much as 37 percent, making talking or texting on the road one of the most dangerous things you can do. The flip side, of course, is that it's quite simple to eliminate this major safety risk by simply not using your phone while behind the wheel.
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