Atlanta Personal Injury Law Blog

There's nothing more stressful as a driver than finding yourself in the middle of a traffic jam. Not only does it slow you down, but it increases the risk of being part of an accident.

Your driving style has a lot to do with your ability to remain safe. Here are five things to do when driving in heavy traffic:

• Don't change lanes often: It's okay to change lanes as necessary, but don't do this with hopes of beating the traffic and saving time.
• Keep a safe following distance: There's no point in driving on another person's bumper, as doing so increases the risk of a rear-end collision. A minimum of three seconds of following distance is a good starting point.
• Watch the traffic ahead: Doing so gives you enough time to react to anything that happens, such as an abrupt stop.
• Avoid distractions: When traffic slows, you may be tempted to do things to pass the time, such as sending a text message or eating. Any distraction increases the risk of an accident.
• Avoid aggressive driving: Not only should you avoid this yourself, but don't engage with people who are driving in this manner. Defensive driving techniques will keep you safest at all times.

If you frequently drive on Georgia roadways, you no doubt travel through intersections quite often, especially if you do a lot of non-highway driving. Intersections are high-risk areas. Even if you do everything you can to stay safe, all it takes is a single moment of negligence on the part of another driver, and you might go from entering a crossroads on a green light to lying in the back of an ambulance.

Many intersection collisions happen because drivers fail to stop at red lights or fail to yield the right of way. Excessive speed, distracted driving or operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol are some of the most common causes of intersection accidents. You can control several factors that may help lower your risk for injury when you approach a crossroad.

With the fall season in full swing, you should expect to find yourself on the road in the rain every now and again. It's not preferred, but there are times when you have no choice but to contend with inclement weather.

Here are three things you can do to improve your safety when driving in heavy fall rain:

• Slow down and take your time: The faster you drive the greater chance there is of hydroplaning, thus losing control of your vehicle and increasing the risk of an accident. Leave enough time in your schedule that you never feel like you're in a rush.
• Use your headlights: Your headlights allow you to more easily see the road ahead and other vehicles. They also help to make your vehicle more visible to other drivers.
• Give yourself more time to stop: It's more difficult to stop your vehicle on slick roads, so leave a few extra seconds of following time. This is a good rule to follow no matter if you're moving along nicely at highway speeds or sitting in stop and go traffic.

As you make your way through the state of Georgia, you'll come to find yourself contending with potholes time and time again. These pop up both on highways and city roads, so you're never in the clear.

Not only can potholes damage your vehicle, but they can also cause an accident. Here are some tips you can follow to avoid trouble on the road:

• Check the air in your tires: Proper inflation ensures that your tires are ready for any pothole you hit. Conversely, a tire with too much or too little air could blow out upon impact, thus leading you to lose control of your vehicle.
• Watch when you brake: It's best to brake before hitting a pothole, instead of when you're directly over it. This minimizes damage and allows you to maintain full control.
• Hold the steering wheel with both hands: Striking a large pothole can result in a loss of control, so keeping two hands on the wheel is a must.
• Take special caution in wet weather: For example, if a pothole is full of water, you may not realize how deep it is.