Here’s part two of our series on unusual driving situations/road hazards. What should you do if you encounter the following?
Blown Tire
If you blow a tire, your car will start to veer toward the side that has the bad tire. Here’s how to handle it.
- Keep your foot OFF the brakes. If you only have a tire on one side, that means you only have the one brake. If you hit the brakes, it could cause your car to veer or even spin. (As Mac Demere, writing for Popular Mechanics, eloquently explains: “Safely handling a tire blowout at highway speed is sort of like going to class as a star athlete at a college-football powerhouse: Do nothing more than sit quietly and you’ll probably get a B. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is nothing.”)
- Steer gently. Don’t overcorrect. Stay calm, and gently guide the car in the direction you want to go.
- Slow down slowly. The blown tire will already be slowing your vehicle, so just take your foot off of the gas, and let your car glide to a stop.
Animal in the Road
Animals-particularly wildlife-cause hundreds of accidents on Texas roads each year. Keep these ideas in mind.
- Don’t swerve if you can help it. Blow your horn and hit your breaks, but stay in your own lane. If you veer, you could hit a tree or another vehicle.
- Pay attention. Most animals come out at dusk and dawn. Stay mindful of where you are and the time of day or month. Oh, and those wildlife crossing signs? They’re there for a reason.
- When you see one animal, know there’s more to come. Just because you missed one animal doesn’t mean you are free and clear.
Erratic Driver on the Road
If you encounter an obviously unsafe driver on the road-someone who’s driving way too fast, making ridiculous lane changes, weaving in and out of lanes, yelling at other cars, etc.-follow these steps to stay safe:
- Get away. Don’t try to pass the vehicle, and definitely don’t try to confront the driver.
- Call the police-once you’re safe, and your car is stopped. Protect others in the community-as well as the erratic driver and her passengers (if any). Be prepared to give a description of what you saw.
- Get a license plate number. If you can safely get a license plate number, do so. This will help the police track the person down.
If you got into a complicated accident-even if you’re frankly not sure what happened-get counsel from an experienced McKinney car accident lawyer immediately. Call our team at 469-573-4558 for clarity about your options.
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