As terrible as they may be, some car accidents are just unavoidable. In keeping with the pedestrian theme this week, let’s talk a little more about some safety precautions Tennessee drivers can take when they are involved in a car accident.
Unfortunately, many accidents occur on very busy roads or highways, places that a person is not normally wont to be walking around in. In such situations, some officials are coming forward to ask you to remain in your car. One of the first steps you can take after an accident and if you are well enough, is to see if you can get your vehicle off of the road. If you can do so, sources urge you to stay inside your car and/or far from the other cars and well away from the lanes of traffic. If you cannot move your car but are able to move yourself safely, officials have said that getting away from your vehicle and out of the line of danger is a good thing – just be sure to do so carefully and quickly.
The reason for such focus on you after your accident is that the other drivers may not be looking for other people when they pass a crash scene: they’re likely to be looking at the wreckage, sources say. Being aware that you may not be seen by other drivers could help you to pay extra attention if you do need to vacate your vehicle, but also just as a bystander on the side of the road. One state recently reported that there have been 128 fatalities due to pedestrian traffic accidents, this of the 1,470 total such accidents this year alone.
For those Tennessee drivers or passengers whose cars fail or find themselves in a dangerous traffic situation after an accident, knowing these dangers and how to get out of harm’s way could prevent any further injury or fatality. Should you be injured due to an accident or afterward, working with an attorney could help you find out the different ways you could move forward and understand your compensation options.
Source: Kansas City Star, “Standing along the road after stalling or crashing is unsafe, authorities stress,” Alan Bavley, Oct. 21, 2012