Avoiding collisions by playing the numbers

Collisions are costly – even deadly – and they can be easily avoided. One of the best ways to avoid a collision is to know what the most common reasons for a collision are and then drive in a way to eliminate or minimize those risks.

So, what are the top causes of car collisions in Canada? I went hunting but actually had a hard time finding well-written, quantifiable numbers. I did find a US-based article and although this article doesn't have quantifiable numbers, it is well written and lists the top 25 causes of collisions in the US. When we read it, we can take most of what it says as being applicable to Canada (although we need to factor in winter conditions as a top factor as well). Here's the article: http://seriousaccidents.com/legal-advice/top-causes-of-car-accidents/

So, if you want to drive safer and avoid more collisions, read this list and adjust your driving to reduce the risks around each of these accidents. Let's take the top 5 reasons and think about how your driving can change because of it:

1. Distracted driving. This one is easy. Put the coffee down. Put the iPhone down. Put the makeup kit down. Put the banana muffin down. Put both hands on the wheel and look straight ahead (while also keeping an eye on your blindspots, of course). We all have different things that pull our focus off the roads – it could be our desire to check a Facebook status or it could be the kids in the back seat or the roast beef sandwich that is perched on the dashboard. Know what can pull your attention off the road and (as much as possible) avoid being distracted by those things.
2. Speeding. Uhhh. Slow down. Do we need to write anything else about this? I hope not. The same goes for…
3. Drunk driving. The fact that we still live in an age when this is an issue is appalling.
4. Reckless driving. Again. This one should be an easy one. Avoid reckless driving. If another driver is driving recklessly, steer clear. Take a different route if necessary.
5. Rain. I'll also add snow, sleet, hail, blizzards, etc. Drive according to the conditions of the road. Unless the road is dry and the day is perfectly sunny, give yourself a few extra minutes and keep our eyes farther up the road to see what's happening ahead.

Now that I've done that for the first 5 top causes of automobile collisions, read through the other 20 in the article and think about how you can adjust your driving to reduce the risks.

Driving safer means driving smarter and acting on this information can help you dramatically reduce your risk of collision.

If you do get into a collision, Boyd Autobody & Glass can help to restore the safety of your car so you and your family can get back out on the road as quickly as possible.