As much as we try to leave home a few minutes early or take an alternate route, getting caught in rush hour traffic is almost inevitable. For those who may be unaware, rush hour is not actually a single hour. “Rush hour” is from 6 to 10 am and 4 to 8 pm. During these hours, school buses filled with kids and cars steered by eager professionals flood the roadways as everyone rushes to get to their destination.
These times of day are known for having the most commuters on the road at the same time, which makes heavy traffic inevitable. Fender benders and other low-speed collisions tend to occur during rush hour traffic as a result of various conditions. To avoid further aggravating your rush hour troubles, take note of these four rush-hour safe driving tips.
Stay in Your Lane
Picture this: You’re drifting through traffic, and you notice that the lane next to you is moving a bit faster than yours. Rather than allow yourself to fall further back in line, you switch into that lane only for traffic flow to stop and pick up in the lane you just left. Switching lanes in rush hour traffic is rarely effective. Your best bet for getting out of traffic is to not to rush the process and just wait it out.
Slow Down
What’s the point of hitting the gas if you’re going to have to slam the brakes a few hundred feet later? Other than wasting gas, you run the risk of not being able to stop fast enough and colliding with the vehicle in front of you. You should rarely step on the gas when in rush hour traffic; instead, there should be plenty of hovering over the brake pedal as you coast at a solid 5 to 15 miles per hour.
Make the Most of the Time
Whether you like it or not, rush hour traffic will remain after you finish cursing everyone for driving too slowly. With that in mind, use that pent-up energy to make the most of your time in traffic. Mentally run through your to-do list and make a note of things you can check off once you get home. Turn on your favorite song and finally learn that one lyric you always mumble. Whatever you choose to do, take advantage of this extra time rather than wasting it.
Stay Focused
It can be easy to lose focus when stuck in rush hour traffic. People tend to play on their phones, groom, and start looking for items in the car when in traffic. All of these actions take your attention away from the road, and although you are traveling at low speeds, you can easily collide with the vehicle in front of you if you don’t pay close attention.
In the event you are involved in a rush hour traffic accident, reach out to the car accident attorneys at E. Orum Young Law Offices. We have over 35 years of experience representing afflicted Louisiana drivers and want to help bring resolution to your car accident case. Our Trial Guarantee ensures that we will take your case to trial at your request. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
