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How To Avoid Injury In An Auto Accident

Sometimes, accidents are unavoidable. Not all drivers are as safe as you, and you cannot prevent them from happening. If you become an accident victim, there are things you can do to avoid or prevent injury.

I have been helping accident victims for many years, which means I have reviewed police reports, witness statements, medical bills and records countless times. I have also sat in deposition and trial of victims, witnesses and experts. So I have a pretty good idea of some preventative measures you can take to avoid or minimize injury in an accident.

• Always wear a seatbelt. Most accidents occur close to home. Buckle up before you leave your driveway. Buckle up in the parking lots when you finish shopping. Do not just buckle up on long road trips—which is the least likely type of accident. Insist that your passengers also wear seatbelts—make it a rule they will wear them or you will not drive them anywhere. People at almost any car speed become projectiles in the car without a seat belt. Your passengers will be glad you insisted when an accident occurs.

• Keep the headrest at the right height. The top part of the head rest should be level with the middle of your ear.

• Put small children in proper car seats. Make sure the seats are age and size appropriate, and properly installed. A recent television special demonstrated that a large majority of car seats were not installed properly. Use a seat with a 5 point harness. Fortunately, in my experience, toddlers usually come out of accidents very well because of car seats.

• Remove heavy objects from the cab of the car, and put them in the trunk. The cab of your car is a danger zone when objects become dangerous projectiles in an accident. Do not put heavy object at head level. I had one client who was moving to a new residence and had the interior of her car packed. A semi-tractor trailer pulled a U-turn on the freeway in Las Vegas on Interstate 95 at night. She T-boned the truck. The impact was severe, but she survived due to the air bags. However, she was almost killed by a “flying” hammer that came from the back of the car that flew past her, just missing her head.

• Minimize distractions inside your car. Do not hold a cell phone while talking. Do not bend over to pick things up while driving. Do not apply make-up while driving. Do not wear earbuds or headphones. Do not eat while driving

• Do wear sunglasses to cut down on glare from the sun, windows, and reflective surfaces.

• Keep your tires and brakes in good working order. Keep your tires inflated to correct levels. Check your brakes periodically. Make sure the tire treads are not too worn. These items will help you be in better control of your vehicle and in taking evasive action in the event of an accident.

• Do not turn your head immediately prior to impact. If you hear car wheels screeching before impact behind you, do not turn your head to look. You will have a much more serious injury if you turn your head because the extension/flexion properties of your spine are much less side-to-side than front-to-back. Instead, sit back into your seat with your shoulders back and your head against the headrest, looking straight ahead. Putting your arm out in front of the person to your side rarely helps, the speed and the force will only serve to hurt your arm or shoulder.

These tips should help you keep your injuries to a minimum, as well as those of your passengers.