No matter how hard you try, it’s difficult to avoid rush hour traffic. This is particularly true if you’re commuting to and from work or school during these busy times of the day.
Since rush hour traffic is likely to be a big part of your daily life, it’s important to take steps to protect yourself. Here are five tips you can follow to safely navigate rush hour:
- Leave more time: When you’re running late, you’re more likely to rush. And when you begin to rush, you’re more likely to cause an accident. Leave more time in your schedule than you need, as this will help keep you calm during heavy traffic.
- Leave a greater following distance: Rush hour traffic is stop and go. A greater following distance gives you more space to stop your vehicle before rear-ending the car in front of yours.
- Avoid distractions: Rush hour is a common time for driver distractions, as many people think it’s okay to lose focus when traffic is crawling. This is a mistake, as you must always concentrate on what you’re doing and what’s happening around you.
- Stay in your lane: As you seek ways to save time, you may get into the habit of switching lanes in search of the “fast” one. It’s okay to change lanes when necessary, such as to exit the interstate, but don’t do so on a search to save a few minutes.
- Experiment with a new route: Even if you’re familiar with your current route, experiment with others to determine if the roads are less congested and if the commute is any quicker. Another route may add time to your commute, but it may be worth it if you can avoid heavy congestion.
These tips will give you peace of mind as you navigate rush hour traffic, however, you shouldn’t assume they’ll always keep you safe. Another driver could make a mistake, such as texting or becoming aggressive, which causes an accident.
If you’re injured in a rush hour traffic accident, move to the side of the road and call 911. Upon arriving at the scene, paramedics can treat your injuries and the responding officer can file a report.
After things settle down, contact your insurance agent and learn more about the steps you can take in Indiana to seek compensation for your injuries and damages related to the crash.