Accidents happen. And sometimes it seems that there was nothing that anyone could have possibly done to prevent them. In fact, some people firmly believe that our lives are predetermined and that no matter which actions we take or whichever path through life we choose to follow, the outcome will inevitably always be the same.
But for those of us who are not prepared to accept this notion and put their destiny in the hands of fate it would appear to be a good idea to look more closely at the facts and the tide of events that lead up to an accident and to determine whether the accident could have been prevented if certain rules had been adhered to or if there had been a change in certain behavioural patterns.
What can you do to stop road accidents from occurring?
Road accidents occur for a number of different reasons and it is important to know what you can do to prevent them from happening to you and the people who are close to you.
Some motorists show a blatant disregard for the Highway Code and act as if they own the road. Some seem to think they are the Stig. They ignore traffic signs, flout speed limits, double park on busy roads and generally make a nuisance of themselves. It does not necessarily always have something to do with the size of their car or engine, and it does not necessarily have anything to do with the size of a part of that particular driver’s anatomy, but because such egocentric petrolheads are not only a danger to themselves but more importantly still to those around them, it always pays not to be caught up in an attack of road rage and to let that man in a white van or that psycho in a souped-up SUV surge past rather than slam on the brakes when he is tailgating and behaving as if a significant part of his brain is missing.
It is important to note that it is not a sign of weakness when you pull over to let the driver with the flashing headlights pass. When you get angry, you start to act irrationally. And when you act irrationally, you start to make mistakes. Mistakes which could cause an accident. Mistakes which could cost you dearly. And when an accident has happened it is too late to wish that you could turn back the clock. So be smart and stay safe.
There are other drivers who suffer from a severe case of overestimation with regard to their motoring skills. It is not until the tyres of your car have lost traction – and as a consequence you have lost complete control of your car – when you are tearing down the fast lane in the driving rain that you remember all that you have ever read and heard about aquaplaning. It is at this moment, frozen in time, as your car glides along on a cushion of water that all that is left for you to do is hope – or pray – that you slow down fast enough or that your tyres regain their grip on the road before you come up against an inert object or perhaps some other motorist who is suffering the same fate as you. The saying “It is better to lose a minute of your life than your life in a minute” has never rung more true than when you waive aside the laws of physics and career home or to work or whichever destination you are heading for in unfavourable weather without bothering to put into practice one of the first things you learnt at driving school.
Remember: Your tyres are the only point of contact between your car and the road!
That’s why it makes sense to adapt your driving speed to suit the road and weather conditions. And that’s why it makes equally good sense to make sure that your tyres are always in good shape and have the correct pressure so that you can rely on them to bring you safely to your destination. It pays to look after your tyres in more ways than one. Not only are you endangering yourself and your passengers when you drive on under inflated or over inflated tyres (under inflated tyres are prone to overheating and affect the way your car handles and the distance it covers before it comes to a standstill; over inflated tyres give you a rougher ride and are more susceptible to damage, when your car hits a pothole for example), you are also paying more at the pump because your car consumes more petrol, and you are paying more at the garage because your tires wear out more quickly. In fact according to a survey carried out by one of the largest tyre manufacturers in the world – the one that is also noted for its road maps and the stars it awards to the chefs and restaurants famed for their outstanding culinary achievements – UK motorists shell out a massive, unnecessary, £440m a year on fuel which they could have saved if they had been driving with the correct tyre pressure. At the same time an additional 1 million tonnes of CO² are being pumped into the atmosphere thereby increasing the effect of global warming and changing the climate of the world we live in.
Yet the solution is so simple.
The digital BY10 tyre pressure gauge from Trotec is a pocket-sized measuring device which can be used to check the tyre pressure before you set off to work or on your journey. It fits on all so-called Schrader or American valves and can tell you in a jiffy whether the tyre pressure is sufficient for the tyres of your car, motorbike even your push-bike if you are trying to circumvent the congestion charge. Just one small device and one small check, that’s all it takes to tell you whether you are driving on the safe side and making your trip a comfortable one while cutting costs and keeping your petrol bill down to a minimum.
Although we may not be able to foresee an accident, we can do everything in our power to prevent one from happening.
Trotec. The company that cares.
