Let’s face it. The highways, roads and streets of Syracuse and Central New York can be dangerous places, regardless of the time of day. You could be sharing the road with drivers that are drunk, angry, distracted, or otherwise “under the influence.”
While it might not be clear what type of driver is in the lane next to you, there are some indicators that can clue you in. The bottom line is that “forewarned is forearmed,” and if you can identify certain bad driver behavior signs, then you can increase your chance of avoiding an accident or serious injury to yourself, your loved ones, or someone else’s loved ones. If you see any of the following behaviors while on driving, they could be a distracted driver and they could be a danger for you and other drivers.
Veering Off Center
When on the highway, the lines on the road give you a good indicator. If you see a driver is having trouble staying in the middle of their lane, you should take it as a sign that they driver is probably not paying attention to the road. Keep your distance for your own safety’s sake.
Sudden Braking
Keep your eye out for drivers who sudden brake. You will see this happen when people take their eyes off the road and the car in front of them slows down or stops. When they look back in front of them, they see how close they are and are forced to brake suddenly. More often than not, these drivers are looking down at the radio or their phone, and the changes to the speed of traffic come as a shock. This causes sudden braking and swerving that could easily cause a collision.
The Traffic Light
A lot of people use the time stopped at a traffic light to check emails or respond to text messages or fuss with kids or other objects they have in the car with them. Doing these activities can often make a driver linger at the light well after the light has turned green. If you see this behavior, it is best to assume that the driver is most likely multi-tasking and will continue to do so when the car in motion again.
Headphones
There are far too many people that wear headphones while they are behind the wheel. Many do this in order to use voice-to-text capabilities on their phones. Recent studies have shown that using headphones and earbuds may actually not be a safe option and can increase the chance for a distracted driver accident.
If you are involved in an accident or sustain an injury as a result of a distracted driver, remember you have options. At McMahon, Kublick, and Smith, PC, we are here to help you. We encourage you to contact us as soon as possible after an accident injury in order to protect your rights and get the maximum compensation you deserve.
