Being involved in a car accident is every driver’s worst nightmare. Unfortunately, accidents do occur when you least expect. As long as many cars are sharing the same roads, accidents will often happen, whether small or big. The question you should be asking yourself is how much damage the accident you are involved in will cause to your car.
Luckily, you can still take control and reduce the level of damage by utilizing the innovative solutions mentioned below.
1. Installing front bumpers and side underride guards
In the modern world, you have probably come across vehicles with guard rails on both their front and back. Sadly, most drivers don’t understand the importance of these steel enhancements. It’s, until you are involved in an accident that you realize how much you could have saved if you had the hard steel added to your car.
The added rails help reduce the impact during an accident. On many occasions, it’s the rails that sustain the damage during an accident, leaving the other parts of your car in perfect condition. In the recent past, cases of small cars driving under trucks while tailgating are on the rise. The sad part is that on such accidents, the damage doesn’t affect the vehicle only, but has seen many people lose their lives. It’s for such reasons that large trucks are expected to have side underride guards added. You’ll understand, as you read more here, the benefits that come with including these enhancements in your vehicle. With the guardrails and bumpers, you will not only help reduce the impact, but you will also be saving yourself from the extra costs that come with being involved in an accident. Most of these bumpers are designed using hard metals. They may only require straightening after you hit any obstacle during your drive.
2. Be active on the road and always find your way out
More often, tailgating is the leading cause of accidents on the streets. If you have been driving for some time, then you understand the results that come with following a car closely from behind, and it’s involved in an accident. The chances are that you may end up in the same accident, crushing the car in front from behind. The impact may be high, based on the speed at which you were driving. It’s recommended that you observe your safe distance when on the road. By doing so, you will have time and space to maneuver your way out of the accident ahead. With the instant maneuver, the high chances are that you are likely to escape unhurt or sustain a slight scratch on the vehicle.
Also, it would help if you were keen on the road because keeping the distance may not work if you are not careful with what is happening ahead. When you are keen on the road, you can easily spot an oncoming accident ahead and find your way out before the incident. Remember, an accident can occur in a matter of seconds. So, the one second you keep your eyes off the road, you increase the chances of causing an accident.
3. Emergency brakes
What is the work of your car’s brakes, if not to slow your vehicle during an accident? Yes, you can help reduce the level of damage after an accident by applying brakes where necessary. Say, for instance, when a car you are tailgating apply emergency brakes, and you don’t have a way out, you should consider playing magic with your brakes.
Using emergency brakes may not always apply on many occasions, especially when you are on high speed. At high speed, you may end up rolling your car or having the car behind you crush sandwich you with the car ahead. Therefore, it’s recommended that you acted calmly when braking to help minimize the aftermath. At low speed, the impact is likely to be small, and hence little damage to deal with afterward.
4. Aim your car
The level of damage after an accident is dependent on the point of impact. Say, for instance, a head-on corrosion accident is likely to cause more damages to the cars involved. Therefore, if there is no way out of the accident, the best you can do is aim your car to the point where the level of impact is likely to be less. For example, if the vehicle you are tailgating suddenly applies the emergency brakes, your best response should be to aim for the taillights as opposed to the license plates.
Car manufacturers always insist that vehicle cabs are built with sturdy materials. Therefore, if you find yourself in a T-Bone type of collision, it would help if you avoided this hard region and aim for the trunk or engine area instead. With this instant tactic, there will be fewer damages as compared to when you would have approached the accident directly.
5. Choose to hit an area where there is likely to be less damage
There are times during an accident where you are faced with a dilemma, and you are needed to choose between hitting either of the two obstacles. Say, for instance, you come head-on with another vehicle, and on your left is a tree or a trash can. If there is no other way out, the best you can do is swerve towards the trash can or tree rather than an oncoming vehicle. The level of impact when you hit the trash can, for example, is less as opposed to hitting an oncoming car. It’s for such reasons that you are advised to keep your eyes on the road all the time, to study the surroundings. With the keen observation of the way, you will find it easy to create an escape plan that will save both you and your car.
No driver wakes up in the morning with a wish that he or she is involved in an accident. Unfortunately, accidents do occur when least expected. Explained in this article, are innovative hacks you can utilize to help lessen the level of damage on your car if you find yourself a victim. Every of the mentioned hacks require a quick reaction as accidents take place in a flash of a second. While the methods may save you from the damages that come after the accident, it would help much if you also practiced safe driving. Being disciplined while on the road is the key to an accident-free nation.