Jersey Shore Personal Injury and Employment Specialists

The first few minutes of driving are the most dangerous

On Behalf of | Mar 19, 2021 | blog, Car Accidents |

When you get behind the wheel in New Jersey, your mind is likely on where you’re headed and what you’re going to do there. Your mind knows that you’ve driven down your neighborhood road what seems like millions of times. The last thing that’s likely on your mind is putting your full attention on the roadway.

It only takes a few minutes

A study about roadway accidents has determined that 25% of all car accidents happen within the first three minutes of getting behind the wheel. Essentially, this means that shorter vehicle trips account for more accidents than longer trips. The study that was done included 40,000 people taking over 3.2 million car trips throughout 2018 and 2019.

With such a large test group, it’s easy to see that a common trend has emerged. Humans tend to put routine tasks on autopilot while they focus their attention on other areas. Driving down your neighborhood road is something that you likely don’t even give much thought to anymore. However, this study proves that you need to.

What can you do to reduce your risk?

The first thing that you can do to reduce your risk of being involved in a car accident is to simply make it a habit to be consciously focused on driving. Avoid any known distractions like texting, talking, eating or even putting on makeup. When your attention is on the roadway, you can react much quicker to adverse situations.

Another way to reduce your risk of being involved in a car accident is to take another means of transportation for short trips. If you’re just headed down the street to a friend’s house, then consider walking or riding a bicycle. Simply by avoiding taking a vehicle for short trips, you can drastically reduce your risk of being involved in a car accident.