Driving impaired does not always mean that you will be the one who causes an accident, but slower reaction times can end in accident, and driving with impairments can mean slower reaction times. Take for example someone who uses a round-about incorrectly. You may not be the one who uses the round-about wrong, but when you see someone use it wrong, your immediate reaction is to brake, so that you do not hit them. Imagine if you react slower than you should, then you hit them. It is technically their fault, they entered the round-about when it was inappropriate, however, you could have avoided the accident by reacting faster. Every person who uses a round-about wrong does not cause an accident. So, remember, drive responsibly, whether that is calling a cab because you have been drinking, or postponing a grocery run because you did not get enough sleep the night before.

It is also important to realize that the only way to overcome the impairment is to wait until it is over. This means do not try and drive drunk by drinking coffee. Do not try to drive tired by drinking an energy drink. Driving impaired, even when you have masked the impairment means higher risk of car accident.

Adjust seat, mirrors, and radio before driving:

Distractions while driving can lead to accidents. One of the best ways to avoid car accidents is to eliminate as many of these distractions as you can for while you drive. When you get in the car, before you ever put the key in the ignition, make sure the seat is adjusted to where you want it, and the mirrors. Adjusting these while driving can cause momentary distractions, these momentary distractions can lead to serious car accidents. Imagine the person who looks away for a split second to adjust their seat or mirror and does not notice the brake lights on the car in front of them. So, instead of putting yourself in these kind of situations, simply take a few moments before pulling out to ensure your mirror and seat are where you want them.

The same goes for the radio. If you are serious about avoiding car accidents it would be wise to invest in a Satellite radio, or a multi-disk changer so that you can do not have to worry about constantly changing the station in order to hear the songs you want, or fishing for a new CD to replace the one you were listening to. If you do not have the luxury of this, then just be sure to have your station set to something you like before you pull out, or have the CD of your choice in the disk player before you pull out. Eliminating these small distractions leads to safer driving.

Pay attention to other drivers:

Drivers need to recognize that no matter how careful they are, and no matter how good they drive, and follow all the traffic rules, they can't control other drivers. What they can do is pay attention to other drivers. When you are driving you have to take a somewhat defensive attitude. You may have a green light, but you still want to look and see if other drivers have stopped so that you can cross an intersection safely. You want to make sure that no one is trying to out-run the light, etc. This may seem like common sense, but the fact is, people still get in accidents by simply not watching what other drivers are doing.

Other example of paying attention to other drivers making it easier to avoid car accidents include simple things like switching lanes on the freeway, if two people try to switch lanes into the same spot, that is in accident, so don't just look to see if there is space for you to move over, look to see if anyone else is trying to move into that space as well.

If you look at other drivers, make sure they see you, look your direction, etc. you can avoid many car accidents. Car accidents are really just waiting to happen, and some simple defense, and paying attention to things other than the rules of the road can go along way to protect you from these accidents.

Use signals:

You car has signals for a reason. So, it is important that you use them. Turn on your turn signal when you intend to make a turn, or switch lanes. Indicating to other drivers what you wish to do gives them advance notice of where your vehicle will be on the road so that they can avoid contact with you. Failure to use signals, or to keep them in proper repair is simply no excuse for accidents. It is laziness. If your tail lights go out, fix them immediately, brake lights are essential indicators and will really help people to avoid hitting you. Sometimes we get lazy, sometimes our hands are full with food, phones, etc. but none of this is an excuse for not using your signals correctly.

Do not multi-task:

Multi-tasking is an invitation for accidents. Driving is complicated enough as it is, you do not need to add other things to it. However, because many of us having driving for so long, we get complacent and comfortable, and start adding other things to our driving routine, such as eating, making our phone calls, putting on our make-up, buttoning our shirts, etc. Multi-tasking is common while driving, but that does not make it safe. Even things like hands-free calling devices pose risks because whether you are using your hands or not, your attention is being diverted. Your focus while driving should be on the driving, and little else. Some would go as far as to say that if you want to avoid accidents, do not have other passengers, do not have the radio on, etc. This is somewhat out of the question, but the idea is the same.the fewer distractions, the safer the driver will be.

Pay attention to the roads:

Road conditions can often be the cause of accidents. Debris in the roads can cause people to swerve and hit others. Rain can make it harder to see. Ice can make roads slick and harder to maneuver. So, in order to avoid accidents, drive at safe speeds where you can easily control your vehicle. Watch the road in front of you so that you can avoid debris, pot holes, etc. This means do not drive so close to the car in front of you that you see these things too late. If the roads themselves are slippery, wet, etc. make sure your car tires are in good repair, and that you have sufficient experience in driving in these conditions, otherwise wait until conditions improve.

There have been many laws put in place to help drivers avoid car accidents. In some states you cannot talk on the phone while driving. In some states teenagers can't have friends in the car until they have been driving for six months. All of these are beneficial laws, and should be followed. Research has shown that talking on the phone while driving significantly increases your chance of accidents. Research also shows that when teens drive with other teens they pay less attention, and drive more recklessly, hence the reason for the laws. Whether your state has these mandated laws or not, it is not unwise to self-impose such rules in order to better protect yourself, your family, and others from accident while driving. Pay attention, keep your car in good repair, let driving be your focus, and learn to watch other drivers, and your will be able to avoid a significant amount of car accidents.