Author: Ilsan Mohamed

A car accident can be caused by negligence while driving, but also by an external cause, which is usually covered by the insurers’ all-risk car insurance.

The road is a shared space where everyone must pay attention to each other’s behavior, as well as to climatic conditions.

External factors of road accidents

• Pedestrians: a second of inattention in the city and a driver can be responsible for a collision with a pedestrian when the pedestrian crosses the road.
• Two-wheeler: a cyclist or motorcyclist can easily sneak into traffic, but also quickly get caught by a motorist who is not very attentive to the road.
• Other vehicles: a driver guilty of carelessness while driving may cause a road accident and involve another vehicle, for example by striking it from the front (driving against the direction, crossing a white line).
• Animals: whether wild (wild boar, deer) or domestic (dog, cat), they can cause a shock or an exit from the road by appearing on the asphalt.
  Weather conditions: rain, snow, strong winds… Weather increases the risk of car accidents (slippery roads, loss of grip, reduced visibility).

Preventing any external factors leading to road accidents

Adopt a cautious approach

In the city, the risk of colliding with a pedestrian or a bicycle is increasing.

Be particularly vigilant when scanning the road and blind spots.

In the countryside, the risks of collision with an animal are in theory announced by road signs.

When an animal appears on the road, you must keep your hands firmly on the wheel, brake hard and do not leave the road to avoid the obstacle.

The possible impact with the animal is a lesser evil compared to a potentially much more dangerous off-road trip.

In case of bad weather

Driving in the rain requires a necessary adjustment of your driving behavior:

• Slow down your speed
• Avoid water accumulation

As well as a check of the condition of the equipment of your vehicle to reduce the risk of aquaplaning:

• Lighting
• Windscreen wiper
• Tires

In the snow, driving requires flexibility and anticipation to avoid slipping. When conditions are extreme (storm), it is recommended to avoid using your car.

 

Do not forget insurance

When a driver hits a pedestrian, cyclist or animal, or does aquaplaning, his responsibility is generally retained except in special cases (suicide attempt by a pedestrian, domestic animal whose owner is identified).

Having a car insurance contract with ” full accident damage ” coverage allows you to be compensated even in the case of a responsible accident, which is not the case with third-party car insurance.

Aggressive driving is a serious concern and a real threat to the safety of all road users. In some extreme cases, this can lead to road rage, which is a violent criminal act involving the intent to cause physical harm. Any dangerous, intentional and malicious driving, or driving without consideration for safety, can be considered as aggressive driving.

Aggressiveness occurs when drivers put pressure on themselves because they want to reach their destination as quickly as possible or because they feel provoked by other road users. Frustrations at work or in everyday life can also lead to aggressive behaviour on the road.

What are the types of aggressive behaviors?

• Headlight calls/blinkers/horns
• Tighten the vehicle in front, follow it far too closely
• Deliberately refusing priority to cyclists or pedestrians
• Brake unnecessarily or block the passing lane
• Making obscene gestures, insulting

How to avoid aggressiveness?

• Be aware that by driving aggressively, you will not reach your destination faster, but will become a danger to yourself and others.
• Don’t put yourself under pressure
• Only drive if you are in good physical condition (tiredness, thirst, hunger or stress are also factors that can lead to aggressive behaviour.)
• Be tolerant of yourself and others: we all make mistakes, including you.

By your tolerance, you improve the atmosphere on the roads and contribute to reducing the number of accidents.

How to deal with the aggressive drivers?

• Stay calm. Put yourself in the position of the “aggressive” driver, there may just be a misunderstanding.
• Make way and let the other aggressive driver pass
• Do not tailgate.
• Always be polite, even if the other person is not.

Driving is a serious responsibility that requires skills of perception, analysis, movement, reaction as well as your full attention. Distractions can occur at anytime, anywhere and everywhere.

A distraction is something that takes your mind away from driving. There are four sources of distraction that are potentially disturbing to the driver:

auditive distraction: attention is turned away by what you hear

visual distraction: attention is drawn away by what you see

physical distraction: attention is focused on what you do

cognitive distraction: attention is distracted by thoughts

How to avoid distractions while driving?

• Place your GPS as close as possible to your field of vision (without obstructing your visibility on the road). Enter your itinerary information before you leave. Learning on how to just use the navigate by listening to the voice of the navigation rather than looking may as well help you to not get distracted
• Avoid talking or sending text messages on your mobile phone while driving. If you really have a need for sending texts or talking on the phone while driving, there are quite a few ways how you can integrate speech recognition/voice control into your existing car.
• Do not read while driving. When you need to read or use a map, leave the road.
• Avoid taking your coat or changing clothes while driving.
• Make-up, comb hair and/or beard before leaving home or at the office. These things should never be done while driving.
• Avoid eating or drinking while driving.
• Listen to music at a reasonable volume. And to reasonable music. Listening to Rammstein’s “Feuer Frei” will more likely make you speed rather than Bob Marley’s “Could you be loved” Listening to music too loud or using headphones or earplugs while driving can be disruptive and can affect your ability to hear emergency vehicles sharing the road with you.
• Do not light or extinguish cigarettes or deal with ashes that fall while you are driving.

The most important to remember is never multi-tasking while driving!

A dash cam is a high-definition wide-angle camera installed in a vehicle. This camera is connected to the car by a cord that fits into the cigarette lighter. It is mounted on the dashboard or on the windscreen inside the passenger compartment. It is used to film and record everything that happens during the driver’s journey.

It is mounted on the dashboard or on the windscreen inside the passenger compartment. It is used to film and record everything that happens during the driver’s journey.

1. REDUCE YOUR RISK OF ACCIDENTS

There is a positive psychological effect that drivers who have a dash cam, especially an inward facing one like naruto have a positive effect on the driver’s behaviour.

This can be explained by psychologists who say that a person who knows he or she is being observed is much more focused on what he or she is doing.

As a result, drivers make fewer inattention errors on the road and avoid risky driving behaviour.

2. PROTECT YOU FROM BAD FAITH DRIVERS

With the stricter punishments for non-compliance with traffic regulations, more and more drivers are losing their driving licences and are less and less reluctant to drive without a licence and insurance.

As a result, the number of hit and run incidents increases in the event of a collision or accident.

The DVR dashcam camera will be a great help if you come across such a driver.

This way you will not have lost any part of the incident and you will be able to find the registration number of the offender to assert your rights with your insurer.

3. GUIDANCE TO ESTABLISH AN MUTUAL AGREEMENT

When fixing the accident, the amicable report can be particularly delicate when one of the two parties (often the offending party) disagrees with the accident’s outcome.

 Your video black box will then be of great use to you when establishing the report.

All you have to do is show the video recording to the other party and no observations will be possible.

4. MONITORS YOUR VEHICLE IN YOUR ABSENCE

Also, very useful in your absence, the dashcam will be your eyes and ears when you leave your car.

Who has never found his bumpy or scratched vehicle on the parking lot of the supermarket after filling his shopping cart?

Thanks to the DVR on-board camera, you can simply view the video to find out what happened in your absence and you can probably find the registration number of the offending vehicle.

5. SAVE ON YOUR INSURANCE CONTRACT

Some insurance companies offer discounts on car insurance contracts, you can save money with your dashcam by avoiding accidents, you can then reduce your insurance.

Example of a Dash Cam -> https://www.amazon.fr/TOGUARD-Embarqu%C3%A9e-Objectif-Enregistreur-Enregistrement/dp/B01M9DG2A0