How to Avoid Multi-Car Pileups

Last October, emergency crews rushed to a seven-car pileup on the Lloyd Expressway in Evansville. The incident happened a little after 3:00 pm and extrication had to be requested for the vehicles involved.

Incidents like this can happen quickly, and they can be tragic. When any vehicle is traveling at expressways speeds and is brought to a stop for any reason, the results can be severe. When multiple vehicles are involved, this also means that multiple drivers and passengers are involved, which puts far too many lives at risk.

While there are times that the accidents are unavoidable, there are few steps that you can take whenever you are driving to decrease your risk of being involved in one of these multi-car pileups.

Consider Weather

Many people neglect to consider that vehicles drive a little differently in bad weather than they do normally. Whether ice, rain, or snow, it is safe to assume that you will need to exercise extra caution when driving through a bad weather condition.

First, your wheels will not grip the pavement as well. This means that if you are driving at a faster speed than recommended, your car might lose traction and you might slide into the car in front of you. In addition, you will need to allot more time for braking. If you hit your brakes too hard and your wheels do not have proper traction, you might lose control of the vehicle all together, causing you to slide into a car in front of you or to the side of you. This can cause the vehicles around you to swerve and slide as well, creating these massive pileups.

Keep a Safe Distance

Always keep a reasonable distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. Even in times of good weather, this distance is important so that you can avoid rear ending the person in front of you if they need to hit their brakes suddenly for any reason. By keeping a safe distance, you can also decrease your own necessary braking time, which can be extremely beneficial for the vehicle behind you.

Remain Focused on the Road

A common reason for many accidents is texting. When you are driving, your focus should be on the road. This means resisting the urge to send or read a text message when operating a motor vehicle of any kind. In those quick seconds of looking at your phone, you might miss the sudden brake lights in front of you and cause an accident or a multi-car pileup.

Help from an Evansville Car Accident Attorney

These accidents can be unfortunate, scary, and life-altering. If you were injured in a multi-car pileup, you could be entitled to compensation for any physical or emotional trauma you suffered. Let one of our experienced attorneys fight on your side to get you the compensation that you deserve. Call Hensley Legal Group today for a free consultation, or contact us online.