Motorists who familiarize themselves with safe driving tips can reduce their risk of getting into catastrophic collisions. Here are some safety tips to remember when traveling on the road.
Understanding Road Safety in Phoenix
Critical road safety tips that drivers should know include:
- Avoid driving faster than the speed limit.
- Refrain from driving after consuming alcohol or drugs or while feeling tired or sleepy.
- Always use your seat belt.
- Obey all stop signs and traffic signals.
- Practice defensive driving, which involves avoiding aggressive behaviors and expecting the unexpected from other motorists.
- Maintain a safe following distance from other drivers.
- Drive safely when changing lanes.
- Avoid distractions, such as your cell phone, while driving.
- Perform all recommended maintenance for your vehicle, including the proper tire pressure.
Phoenix motorists should also learn safe driving tips for winter. After precipitation during the winter months, overnight lows might approach freezing temperatures, potentially leading to the formation of black ice that can pose a hazard for the morning commute. In that case, keep a reasonable distance between your vehicle and the car ahead of you in case you need to come to a sudden stop.
Safe Driving Practices in Challenging Conditions
Although famous for its hot, dry weather, Phoenix regularly experiences bad weather conditions that require drivers to take extra precautions. The Phoenix area can experience severe weather, such as dust storms, flooding, and monsoons. Tips for safe driving in adverse weather conditions include:
- Following weather reports and avoiding driving during predicted severe weather events
- Pulling off the road into a rest stop or parking lot when severe weather makes it too dangerous to continue driving. If you need to pull off to the side of the road, activate your vehicle’s hazard lights
- Reducing your speed when driving in heavy precipitation or low visibility. Turn on your vehicle’s low-beam headlights and use your hazard lights when driving well below the speed limit
- Increasing your following distance
Legal Considerations for Drivers
Drivers involved in accidents should familiarize themselves with Arizona’s laws governing car accidents:
- §28-661: Drivers in an accident resulting in injuries or death must immediately stop at or return to the accident scene.
- §28-663: After an accident, drivers must provide their name, address, and vehicle registration number to others involved in the crash, show their driver’s license upon request, and provide reasonable assistance to those injured in the crash (including calling emergency medical services if necessary or requested by an injured person).
- §28-664: Drivers who collide with unattended motor vehicles must stop and either locate the vehicle’s owner/operator or leave a written note giving one’s name and address and the name/address of their vehicle’s owner.
- §28-666: Drivers in accidents resulting in injury or death must report the crash, orally or in writing, to the local police, county sheriff, or nearest highway patrol office.
- §28-674: After a crash, drivers should move their vehicles from the roadway to the shoulder, emergency lane, median, or another place off the road if they can safely drive their vehicle.
Finally, drivers should remember that the statute of limitations typically requires them to file a car accident lawsuit within two years of a crash.
What to Do If You’re Involved in an Accident
After a car accident, the steps you should take to protect your legal rights include:
- Obtain a copy of the police crash report.
- Request your medical records of your treatment/rehabilitation.
- Follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations and recovery instructions.
- Keep bills, invoices, and receipts of expenses from the crash.
- Gather your pay stubs or income statements if you suffer a loss of earning capacity due to the accident.
Finally, contact a car accident lawyer to get help obtaining compensation for your injuries and losses.
Contact our Phoenix Car Accident Attorneys to Learn More
If you’ve been in a crash in Phoenix, get experienced legal help to pursue accountability and financial recovery. Contact Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer today for a free, no-obligation consultation with our knowledgeable legal team to discuss your legal options for securing compensation.
