Driving Tips by the South Florida Reporter

Motor vehicle accidents fell in Florida in 2018 compared to the number that occurred in 2017. However, it was a small decrease amounting to just a little over one percent. Agencies statewide reported that there were 397,812 total accidents. In those accidents, there were 251,970 injuries and 3,004 fatalities. The great majority of these accidents involved one or more vehicles, but there were quite a few that involved pedestrians or bicycles. In 2018, there were 9,192 pedestrian accidents that resulted in 668 deaths. When it came to cyclists, there were 6,499 bicycle accidents and 140 cyclist deaths in 2018.

The South Florida Reporter reports on some safe driving tips to avoid the possibility of an accident and a personal injury claim.

One of the biggest factors in most accidents today is distracted driving. Whether the distraction comes from a cell phone, a tablet, or a dashboard display or knob, distraction causes more accidents every day. If you absolutely must take a call, return a text, or answer an email, pull off someplace safe.

Give everyone else some space. This means that you should maintain an ample amount of space between the vehicle in front of you and those to your sides. This will ensure that you have enough room to stop if the leading vehicle should have to stop suddenly.

Your sideview and rearview mirrors are great tools to keep you aware of what is going on around and behind you. Before you head off, make sure they’re all in the right position and check them often while driving. Save checking your make up or shave using the mirrors for after you’ve arrived to your destination.

Stay under the speed limit. Not only are you risking a ticket with a hefty fine, but you could be at risk for heftier charges like reckless driving. Accidents that take place at higher speeds can cause more damage to the vehicles and potentially sever injuries to the drivers and passengers inside.