What Factors Contribute to Roadway Safety?
To be a safer driver, we are often told that we need to drive a specific car or obtain a certain kind of insurance. However, a select few think being a better driver comes down to biological factors like gender and age. Often these stereotypes can make it harder for certain motorists to choose which car they want to drive or not have to pay higher premiums on their insurance policies.
The team at Vollor Law Firm, P.A. wanted to get to the bottom of this and determine what factors actually make a safer driver.
Biological Factors
According to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), there are very distinct trends in who is more likely to suffer a fatal injury in an accident. Here are two of the most distinct categories:
Age
Drivers 25 and under or 65 and over are statistically involved in more motor vehicle accidents. There could be multiple reasons for this: driver population vs. accidents, health-related issues, distractions, and more. However, IIHS also reports that drivers between the age of 16 and 19 are three times more likely to be involved in a collision than a driver over 20.
Gender
Statistically speaking, a significantly greater number of male drivers die in car crashes annually when compared to women. The 2019 reports show that over 71% of all vehicle crash driver deaths were males, although only 48% of passengers were males.
It is understandable to assume that the reason behind more male driver deaths is because there are more male drivers overall, but this is not the case. According to the Federal Highway Administration, over 50.6% of licensed drivers are female. However, men drive significantly more than women in a given year by a rate of about 63%, which explains why the driver deaths are skewed in that direction.
Although these statistics don't tell us what inherently makes you a safe driver, they offer insight into new training systems that could be put in place to protect drivers belonging to different demographics.
Use of Defensive Driving Techniques
One of the most effective ways to be a safer driver has nothing to do with biology - and that's to learn and employ more defensive driving techniques. Here are the top five you need to know:
- Use the "three-second rule" when driving around other cars.
- Never assume what another driver is going to do.
- Always be aware of your surroundings - check mirrors, scan the road conditions ahead of you, and pay attention to other drivers.
- Eliminate distractions by keeping your hands on the wheel at all times.
- Drive at the appropriate speed for the roadway and conditions.
Keeping these tips in your toolbox is one way to help reduce accidents and dangerous conditions for you and others on the road.
Mississippi Car Accident Attorneys
The team at Vollor Law Firm, P.A. is dedicated to helping the roads become safer by holding negligent drivers accountable for their actions. If you or a loved one have been injured on Mississippi roads by the fault of another driver, call (662) 269-6188 to schedule a free consultation and discuss your legal options.