Millions of accidents occur in the United States every year, roughly 16,500 every day. There are hundreds of reasons for these accidents—intoxication, drug abuse, talking on a cell phone, texting, fixing ones hair, distracted by an accident nearby to name a few. The sad part is—you may not be the one driving poorly when your involved in an accident- so how do you protect yourself from being the victim of an accident? Here are a few tips to keep in mind the next time you are behind the wheel.
1. Remove Distractions: 80 Percent of the millions of accidents are the result of a distracted driver. Texting, talking on the cell phone, applying makeup or fidgeting with the radio should all be avoided while behind the wheel.

2. Be cautious of the Left Lane
Recent research claims that the Left Land is where most freeway accident occur. The left lane has less escape routes that the middle and right lanes which limits your ability to avoid a collision.

3. Survey the Road Ahead:
Do not limit yourself to watching the car directly in front of you- watch 3 or 4 cars ahead. If you know what is happening further along up the road you have a better chance of reacting and avoiding collisions.

4. Hands on the wheel: Holding the steering wheel properly in the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock position provides more control over your car- enabling you to more easily react and maneuver.

5. Watch the Blind Spots:
Keep a good grasp on what is happening in your blind spots at all times. Many accidents occur due to lane changes when blind spots were not clear.

6. Proceed with Caution at Intersections:
Take caution when at an intersection- watch for pedestrians and pay attention to vehicles running red lights. When your light is green cautiously proceed, monitoring all other traffic to prevent a collision.

7. Watch Out for Beaters: Watch out for cars with extensive body damage it can be a good indication of a careless or reckless driver.

8. Know Your Vehicle: Know your vehicle’s limits. If you have poor breaks- maintain a longer following distance- if it takes longer to pick up speed be extra cautious when merging.

9. Keep Your Car Maintained: Keep up to date on your cars routine service checks and pay attention to recalls.

10. Avoid nighttime driving. Lower visibility and a higher drunk-driving rate make the roads particularly dangerous after hours.