What To Do When You Get In a Car Accident

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When you find yourself in a car accident, everything can get hazy.  Whether you’re physically injured or not, the shock that occurs following something as frightening as a vehicle collision is enough to leave people feeling in an almost dream-like state.  Unfortunately, as a result, a lot of people wind up making mistakes throughout the process.  Since it’s such a delicate situation, it’s important that you do things right.

Since you can be so discombobulated as a reaction to the stress, it’s helpful to have a list of what you should do onhand.   Take a look at your handy step-by-step list of what you should do after getting in an accident. 

Check For Injuries

First thing is first, you’ll need to ensure that you don’t have any physical injuries.  Make sure that you check yourself and anyone else in your car for injuries.  If you realize that you or someone else in the car is hurt, put everything else on hold.  The most important thing is your well-being.  Dial emergency services immediately or ask someone nearby to do so.

Move Your Car

If you can, move your car out of the way of other vehicles and into safety.  Often people leave their cars in a hazardous place after a collision, and it winds up causing another accident.  If it’s not possible to move your car then ideally you should at least move yourself.

Call The Police

Even if your accident is nothing other than a fender bender, you should call the police to create an accident report.  An officer will interview everyone involved in the accident and write it all down.  They’ll chart out what occurred in the accident, providing documentation for the event.

When you make a claim with your insurance company, they’ll refer to the police report to help with the process.

Get The Other Drivers Information

It’s important that you get the contact information of the other driver.  Make sure that you get not only their name and phone number but also everything about their vehicle.  Take a photo of their license and license plate, as well as any damage to their car.

If they’re a responsible driver, they’ll have their insurance company and policy number with them to provide you with as well.

Don’t Incriminate Yourself

Often when people experience a traumatic event like a car accident, they assume it’s their fault, particularly if the other driver is angry.  Don’t apologize or admit fault whatsoever unless it was undoubtedly your fault.  However, as a general rule of thumb, you should avoid discussing details with the other driver.  Let your insurance handle it.

Call Your Insurance Company

Once you’ve done all of these steps, you can call your insurance company to notify them of the accident.  They’ll start a claim and tell you exactly what you need to do.

Conclusion

By having this list onhand, you’ll be sure to make sure that you don’t forget any critical steps.  That way, you can rest assured that you have the right information with you should anything happen while driving.

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Is a DUI Charge Going to Drive Your Future?

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Being saddled with a driving under the influence (DUI) charge can harm you in several ways.

To start, there is the scenario where you end up going to jail and losing your driving privileges for some time. When you add in a big fine, the outcome can seem rather dire.

Another scenario is when you’ve not only gotten a DUI charge, but your actions led to an accident. As a result of that accident, one or more people get hurt. In the event the injuries prove fatal, you could be steering at some major hard times ahead.

With that being the case, it is imperative that you have an experienced DUI attorney by your side.

He or she can assist you in mounting a legal defense. That defense should do everything possible to show that you are innocent of the said charges. If it appears you will not be able to beat those charges, you at least want to fight for the best available plea deal.

So, is a DUI charge going to drive your future?

Presenting Your Side of the Story

When you are facing DUI charges, don’t take them for granted. Such charges can impact not only the present time, but also your future.

With that in mind, look at how a DUI conviction could alter your life moving forward.

Among the ways:

1. Career aspirations – For some, finding and keeping a job can be challenging enough in today’s world. Now, imagine if you’ve got a DUI conviction hanging over your head to boot. Such a conviction could hamper a present job or the ability to locate a new one. This is why beating the conviction is so important. With the right attorney by your side, you stand a better chance of walking away from the charges.

2. Personal life – Some family and friends may look at you in a different way with a DUI conviction. The level of trust you had with some of these people could change moving ahead. If someone relies on you for transport, would they again get in a vehicle with you? They may now consider you an unsafe bet when you get behind the wheel. If you have children, what kind of example would you be setting for them with a DUI conviction in your life?

3. Financial ramifications – Last, having a DUI conviction can also cause financial ramifications. For example, the fines that go with such charges can be hefty. When you have to apply again for a driver’s license, you’re looking at more money. Last, expect your auto insurance to go up with a DUI conviction on your record. As you can see, you’re not getting out of this situation with more money in your wallet.

Avoid Being a Repeat Offender

In the event you are unable to shake a DUI charge, learn from your mistake.

Sure, it can be a costly experience, but it is one that you do not want to go unnoticed.

Think twice before having a drink and getting behind the wheel next time. If you were lucky, your DUI experience did not result in an auto accident.

If you convicted of more than one DUI experience, you may lose your driver’s license for good.

Next time you think about drinking and driving, think about the repercussions.

In the end, chances are you won’t make the same mistake twice.

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How To Make Sure You Ace The Dmv Written Exam

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If you are learning to drive then you will no doubt want to ace your DMV written exam so that you can get behind the wheel as soon as possible. With this being said, you will not pass the exam if you don’t prepare in the right way and as many as 4 in 10 actually fail this test the first time around. In order to pass the test first time it is important that you prepare in the right way so that you can give yourself the best possible opportunity of acing it.

We have looked at some of the most common mistakes that people make when preparing for this test in order to let you know exactly how you should be getting ready for this exam when the time comes.

Planning Ahead

From the moment that you find out when your exam will be, it is time to start getting into study mode. Many people make the mistake of studying too late in the day which means that they are putting themselves in a position whereby they will not have sufficient time to work through all that they need to study. In order to avoid rushing your studies as the exam date approaches, make sure that you are on the front foot in terms of getting started on studying for the exam.

Allotting Your Time

As with anything that you study for, it is important that you allot your time correctly when it comes to studying for this test. The best way to do this is to flick through the DMV handbook and break it down into sections. Create a time window in which to study each of these sections and then at the end of each week, do a quick recap on what you have studied to make sure that you have remembered it.

Don’t Just Read

You could sit and read the handbook until you are blue in the face and the information will not simply fall into your brain. Instead of just reading you need to be doing so in a way that highlights all of the key points that you are learning about. So, when you read through the book for the first time, you need to be underlining, making notes and highlighting the important points that you see in the handbook. Not only does this help the knowledge stay in your head, it makes it much easier to study when you read through the book again.

Practice Tests

It is important that you aren’t surprised by anything that happens when you go in to take the exam and in order to avoid this you should be doing as many practice tests as you possibly can. There are some great websites which can help you to pass your test through giving you test questions and mock exams, a great way to get some experience under your belt. Once you have been through a couple of  practice exams, you will be able to see just where you are going wrong, what form the questions take and what is expected of you during the exam itself. Once you have finished studying through the guide book and think that you are ready, head online for a practice test to see if you are up to the required standard.

If you do happen to fail your exam then you can always study some more and try again but this will prolong the wait to get behind the wheel and hit the road. In order to get driving as soon as possible, make sure that you prepare well and ace the DMV written exam straight away.

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Road Safety in 2016: Top 10 Causes of Car Accidents in the US

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Within just a few days it will be the official first day of spring and within just a few weeks the weather will turn warm and sunny. During late spring and early summer, an increased number of motorists hit the road after being cooped up all winter due to snow and freezing temperatures.

This year, take the time to re-check your road safety tips to ensure that you, your passengers and occupants of another vehicle are safe from crashes that could have been avoided. As a preventative measure, read and understand the following top 10 causes of car crashes in the United States.

First Some Gruesome Statistics

According to ASIRT, The Association for Safe International Road Travel, more than 37,000 individuals will lose their lives in car accidents in the United States each and every year. In addition to that, it is estimated that almost 2 million others will be injured or become disabled as a result of a car crash. Here is where it gets really sad, although loss of life is sad at any time:

  • More than 1600 of those that die every year will be children under the age of 15.
  • Of those that die in car crashes, almost 8,000 deaths involved drivers between 16 and 20 years of age.
  • Of those US citizens traveling abroad, car crashes are the leading cause of death in foreign countries.

And if those statistics aren’t gruesome enough, consider the cost. It is estimated that driving accidents cost US taxpayers almost $231 billion each and every year. Not only is there a cost in human life but a financial cost as well.

Leading Causes of Crashes in the US

Although these may be off by a place or two in the actual ranking, the only one that is for sure would be that in the number one position as the leading causes of crashes. The top ten causes of car crashes in the US according to the latest statistical data released by the Department of Transportation include:

  1. Distractions while Driving – Typically this is due to illegal use of cell phones but other causes include reaching over to tune the radio, talking to passengers and believe it or not, lighting a cigarette while trying to handle the wheel. Many driving teachers suggest using disposable e-cigs that can simply be puffed with no distractions as they aren’t ever lit up.
  2. Over the Speed Limit (Speeding) – Many times the driver is going anywhere from 10 to 30 miles (or more!) above the speed limit and it is a fact that driving fast does reduce reaction times. Want to avoid an accident? Obey the speed limits.
  3. DUI (Drunk Driving) – Each state has a legal blood alcohol limit but no matter what it is, the rule of thumb is that even if you’ve had a single drink you should let someone else do the driving.
  4. Reckless / Careless Driving – This can be the result of a number of careless behaviors when behind the wheel. From speeding to improper change of lanes to tailing too close, if you are not obeying the traffic laws, chances are you are being careless.
  5. Weather (Especially Rain) – Not only does heavy rain create poor visibility but rain on oil-slicked roads makes it difficult to stop on the drop of a dime. Snow and high winds are also weather-related causes of traffic accidents but not nearly as numerous as those related to rain.
  6. Failure to Stop at Traffic Lights – What needs to be said about running a red light? If you fail to yield the right of way while another car is traveling through the intersection, an accident will probably ensue with you being at fault.
  7. Failure to Obey Stop Signs – Next in line is failing to stop at stop signs. Just as in failure to yield the right way at red lights, failing to stop at stops signs is a leading cause of crashes.
  8. Teen Drivers – No one is singling out teen drivers to be mean. The reality is that they are simply inexperienced and typically more careless than older, more seasoned drivers. With age comes experience so if you are a teen, it is better to be slow than sorry. Slow down, learn the rules of the road and be patient. Good driving will come in time.
  9. Impaired Vision of Night Driving – Typically it is elder drivers who have trouble with night vision but there are younger adults who also suffer this impairment as well, so if you have trouble seeing at night either find an alternate driver, wait until daylight to travel or simply slow down and take it easy.
  10. Defects within the Design of the Vehicle – Every day you hear of a class action lawsuit involving recalls that were never made. Defects within the design of the car come in as number 10 in the leading causes of traffic accidents in the United States.

So here you have the top ten causes of car crashes in the United States and some pretty gruesome statistics. Don’t leave yourself open to being on the wrong side of the coin so learn these causes and work to avoid them. Your life and the lives of those you love could depend on it.

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