Vehicle accidents happen almost constantly across our country. With a more solid economy, more people are hitting the road and, unfortunately, each other. For those of us who make a living logging miles, we are at an even higher risk of experiencing a vehicle accident.
With our drivers in mind, we are sharing the top 5 vehicle accident hotspots. Next time you find yourself in one of these areas, snap yourself out of cruise control and stay safe out there!
Vehicle Accident Hot Spots
Parking Lots
Parking lots don’t experience fatal car accidents all that often. But fender benders are another story. It’s especially important to keep an eye out when you’re hauling a load through the lot. The biggest concern is pedestrians. Check carefully, then check again before you maneuver your way through a parking lot.
Intersections
If you happen to live in the RV capital of the world like we do, you’ve probably been at a 4-way stop where everyone waved everyone else on. Meanwhile, nobody is actually going anywhere. It’s just the way we do things in Indiana. (Should we add that to our driving pet peeves list?) It just goes to show that stop signs and yield signs aren’t always fully understood or obeyed. Even stoplights can be missed. This leads to accidents on a regular basis. Be a smart driver as well as a law-abiding one.
Close to Home
It’s true. Roughly 50% of vehicle accidents happen within 5 miles of home. This means that you could successfully travel cross country and back and still find yourself dealing with an accident. The familiarity of being close to home contributes to our being less cautious. We switch into auto-pilot mode in our comfort zone. Stay vigilant even if you could drive those last few miles with your eyes closed.
Two-Lane Roads
Two-lane roads leave very little room for error. Especially in non-residential areas where speed limits are more generous. Drifting over the center line can be incredibly dangerous in this situation. Faster vehicles passing slower vehicles on two-lane roads is another common cause for accidents.
Rural Highways
In all of your travels, you’ve probably driven by several accidents on a variety of highways. Rural highways are a hotspot, though. The most common type of accident to occur here? Single vehicle accidents. These long, quiet roads have a way of lulling drivers into inattention. We can go countless miles without really registering those miles in our minds. Suddenly, we’re running off the road, or hitting unnoticed debris, or hydroplaning over poorly maintained roadway. If you tend to struggle to stay alert on rural highways, or anywhere for that matter, check out our tips for dealing with drowsiness.
We’re not suggesting you avoid these hotspots. That would be an impossible task, especially in the RV transport profession. The purpose of this list is to help you be aware of what commonly leads to accidents so you can be more alert and vigilant. We at Wave Express wish you safe travels!
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