The Importance of Defensive Driving
Posted on: July 16, 2024
Defensive driving is a must under any conditions on the road. While other drivers may be acting aggressively, you need to be both cautious and anticipatory. You must always be on the lookout for potential hazards. Sometimes, extra safety can mean the difference between a severe accident and avoiding one. You may never quite know the benefits of defensive driving. If you have been injured in an accident, contact an experienced car accident lawyer to fight for compensation.
Defensive Driving Helps You Contend with Other Motorists
You can never control what other drivers do behind the wheel. Reckless driving has spiked throughout the country as people have less respect for laws in general. While you can never eliminate the possibility of a severe accident, you can at least reduce the chances of one by doing everything you can to be safe.
Defensive driving is doing everything you can to avoid an accident, notwithstanding what other drivers may do. You cannot trust other drivers to make the proper decisions because many will not. You need to be aware of the vehicles around you and anticipate what they could do under the circumstances.
Defensive driving does not necessarily mean that you are passive. It means that you may be anticipatory. Certain safe habits mean you are doing everything you can to maximize your safety. Many of these habits are examples of acting reasonably under the circumstances. The opposite of these habits could be considered negligent when you are doing something that would be regarded as unreasonable.
What Are Examples of Defensive Driving Habits?
You may wish to consider some of the following as a form of defensive driving:
- Leaving more space between you and the vehicles around you on the road.
- Traveling only at the speed limit and not over.
- Not driving in the blind spot of cars surrounding you.
- Always trying to anticipate what other drivers may do.
- Make sure to signal before making turns or changing lanes.
- Allowing extra time to reach your destination.
- Changing your speed to match road and weather conditions.
- Being observant of your surroundings.
To be clear, defensive driving does not always prevent car accidents under every circumstance. It does give you an extra degree of protection from the actions of other drivers. They could still be negligent and cause you injury in a crash. In that event, they would be legally responsible to pay you for the damages they caused.
Defensive Driving Helps Your Legal Case After a Car Accident
You also do not want the other driver’s insurance company to have any opening to point the finger at you after the car accident. Under New Jersey law, the compensation you would receive would be reduced by the percentage of fault you bear for the accident. If you were more than 50 percent to blame for the crash, you would not be allowed to receive any compensation. An insurance company will actively investigate the accident to see if you were partially at fault, and they will not hesitate to blame you.
If the insurance company is trying to wrongfully blame you for the crash, in whole or in part, your car accident lawyer will defend you. An attorney may present evidence of your actions to refute any allegations against you.
Contact a Monmouth County Car Accident Lawyer at Ellis Law Today if You Have Been Injured
A Monmouth County car accident lawyer at Ellis Law can take the insurance company on when they are trying to deny you the total amount of compensation you deserve. You are always better off hiring a car accident lawyer to handle your case. You can schedule a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys by calling us today at 732-308-0200 or contacting us online. Our office is in Freehold, New Jersey, and we work with clients in Asbury Park, East Brunswick, Toms River, Middletown, Jersey City, Long Branch, Neptune, Hudson County, Union County, Essex County, Monmouth County, Marlboro, and Ocean County, as well as Brooklyn and New York City.
