The Importance of Planning Your Route Before Leaving Home

How Using a Road Trip Planner Could Reduce Your Accident Risk

According to the Association for Safe International Road Travel, car accidents are among the top 10 causes of death throughout the world. However, there are steps that you can take to minimize an accident, such as using a road trip planner before leaving home. Let’s take a look at how you can do this and why it’s important to reduce your chances of causing a wreck.

Your Phone Can Be a Road Trip Planner

If you own a smartphone, you can use it to get directions to a stadium, restaurant or other location that you may not visit frequently. Depending on your vehicle model, you might be able to connect your phone to your dashboard to get spoken turn-by-turn directions. This may be ideal because you won’t have to hold your phone or glance at it periodically to see where you are going next. You might also be able to use your voice to open a navigation app or access your vehicle’s navigation system if it has one.

Never Consult a Map While Driving

If you don’t have access to a smartphone or navigation system in your vehicle, it’s still possible to use a paper map to get directions to your destination. However, you should never try to read a physical map while your car is moving. This is because your eyes will necessarily be taken away from the road, and the map itself could physically block your view even if you aren’t using it. Instead, you should pull over to the side of the road to figure out where you are and where your next turn may be. Better yet, let your passenger(s) consult the map while you drive.

You Can Only Focus on One Thing at a Time

It is important to understand that your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. Therefore, if you’re looking for a road sign, you can’t be focused on the fact that a light is changing or that a pedestrian has just entered the road. This is why you need to get directions before you leave home, at a rest stop or on the side of the road.

Unplanned Movements Can Be Dangerous

Planning your route ahead of time can make it easier to be in the proper lane prior to getting on or off a highway. It can also prevent you from making a sudden turn that could force another driver to swerve or slow down without warning. Ideally, you will give yourself plenty of time to make a lane change or complete a turn onto a different road.

Furthermore, it is generally a good idea to use your turn signal or otherwise give others a clear indication of what you plan to do. If you are involved in an accident caused by a driver who made an unexpected turn or lane change, it may be a good idea to speak with an auto accident attorney.

Unplanned Movements Can Be Especially Dangerous If You’re Hauling Cargo

Let’s say that you are on the way to the lake and have attached a boat to your vehicle’s trailer. Making a sudden lane change could result in the boat hitting another vehicle or object on the road. It is also possible for objects to fall off your vehicle during a quick turn or lane change if they aren’t properly secured. If an item falls off your vehicle and strikes another car or pedestrian, you could be negligent in causing property damage or bodily injury. On the other hand, if you’re struck by an object that falls off another car or truck, you may be entitled to compensation from the owner of that vehicle.

If you need an auto accident attorney, contact the legal representatives at RAM Law today. We can be reached in New Brunswick at (732) 247-3600 or in Somerville at (908) 448-2560. You can also send an email to [email protected] to learn more about the services that our firm provides.