24 tips from asktheburnsurgeon on-How to avoid road accidents and burns

Every year, thousands of people die from road accidents and burns. The sad fact is that most of these accidents can be avoided. Asktheburnsurgeon presents 24 tips on how to avoid road accidents and burns.

1. Drive only when you are well trained, confident and have a valid driving license.

2. Do not drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medication that will affect your driving. You are putting you life and the valuable lives of others at risk.

3. While driving avoid eating, drinking, smoking or using a cell phone.

4. Do not let children or passengers distract you while driving.

5. Drive carefully and follow the traffic rules.

6. Avoid over speeding- you tend to loose control and may cause an accident while over speeding. Reduce your speed especially during adverse weather conditions like sleet, snow, rain and ice. Drive carefully if the road is under repair.

7. Stick to your lane while driving, change lanes only when you want to take a new road.

8. Forget the ‘me first’ attitude and let others cross if needed.

9. Drive to reach your destination and not to race other cars – ‘racing is for race courses’.

10. Before changing lanes look in the side and rear mirrors. Don’t forget the ‘blind spot’ if your car has one, so turn your head and look if any cars are approaching.

11. Avoid being close to large sized vehicles like trailer vans and tractor- trailer rigs. The drivers of these vehicles have a poor vision due to the immense size of the vehicle and can cause serious accidents if you are nearby.

12. Honk when you are in danger or see a dangerous situation developing so that other drivers are also aware of it.

13. Do not carry inflammables in your car like petrol, turpentine or other chemicals which can convert your car into a potential bomb.

14. Never take your eyes off the road while driving –except when you have parked or stopped your vehicle.

15. Keep a ‘first aid’ kit in your car. Having a burnshield or other dressing, fire extinguisher, a large can of water, and a cell phone to call when in trouble can be of great help if you have an accident.

16. Be careful in parking lots- there is always someone crossing or coming out unexpectedly and that could be dangerous.

17 Never drive without your seatbelts on. Seatbelts prevent you from being thrown around or outside your vehicle and injuring yourself in case of an accident.

18. While driving at high permissible speeds, keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front. If the car behind is too close, put your hazard lights on to signal him about the ‘clear and imminent danger’.

19. Car radiator burns are common in hot summers. If you have to tinker with your hot radiator- be careful as you open the lid the hot water can splash and cause severe burns- wait till it cools down or get a car mechanic to repair your car.

20. Long drives can be boring and the monotony may put you to sleep. Have a driving partner who will replace you and prevent you from sleeping.

21. While driving, avoid being a navigator and checking maps and locations- doing both can lead to accidents.

22. Service your vehicle regularly; also see that the tires, breaks and windshield wipers are in good condition. Having a ‘flat tire’ or a ‘burst tire’ while driving can lead to serious accidents. Faulty breaks and non functional wipers can be disastrous.

23. Be careful at traffic signals- there is always someone passing through the yellow light or crossing the red light which could lead to a major accident. So watch out even if you have the green light.

24.                            Before you start driving

                                 Pray that you reach safely

                                After you reach your destination

                                Thank God for being merciful

Drive safely and avoid accidents and burns.

Asktheburnsurgeon +