Not always circumstances on the road turn out as we want for the driver. And even if he is confident in his abilities and does not doubt his professionalism, the risk of an accident cannot be completely excluded. However and in such an unpleasant situation there is a certain choice. For example, you can decide where and how best to crash, if the accident is inevitable. Let’s consider basic tips that will help you avoid dire consequences.
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How to act at appearance of risk of unavoidable accident
What is the main danger for drivers on the road? Of course, other drivers. Of course, there are other obstacles in the form of road signs, curbs, road fences, poles and other engineering structures. So where is the best place to hit if an accident is inevitable?
Choosing an object on the road that can absorb the impact and mitigate the consequences of the collision, you need to follow simple principles.
So, the main criterion is the following – what possible damage to health and the vehicle. Given these features, you should try to find something soft and massive – for example, a snow drift, if we are talking about the cold season and the region with snowy winters.
But here, too, it is necessary to have an idea of what is such an obstacle – a huge mass of freshly fallen snow or virgin land, or frozen snow that has survived several thaws, hardened and covered with ice. In the second case, the simulated obstacle can play a cruel joke with you, becoming an ice springboard or a kind of brick wall, which will literally crush the car.
Besides, it is extremely undesirable to choose concrete structures (poles, supports) and trees for collision because of the increased strength properties and a small point of contact with a car. And, reviewing the chronicle of road accidents, you often have to see cars cut almost in half upon contact with such structures. Therefore use these obstacles for braking only in cases when the speed is minimal, and the supposed damage to the car is clear to you.
As for the elements of road infrastructure, you need to turn them into a means to stop the rushing car with caution. And though such constructions are designed with consideration of the maximum interaction with the body of the vehicle, they often become a kind of shock absorber, throwing the crashed car to the other side, because of what the trajectory of its movement sharply changes.
In addition, road barriers are dangerous because of the high probability that a part of them comes off and, like a spear, penetrates the body of the vehicle.
As for frontal crashes with cars, they are relatively safe at speeds up to 60 km/h, provided you are in a relatively modern car with basic active and passive safety features (airbags, belts, etc.) and are wearing your seat belt. In any case such collision at least will save your life.
But if a large truck is rushing towards you, then, regardless of its speed, such contact is better to be avoided in every possible way. The fact is that the truck has an impressive size and weight, so it may simply crush your “iron horse”.
If you find yourself in a situation where you need to choose between ramming another car and hitting a pedestrian, try to slow down in your lane. After all, if a pedestrian is injured as a result of your car’s ramming into the adjacent traffic lane, all responsibility for what happened will fall on you.
Cheating of electronic security systems
Once you find yourself in a potentially dangerous accident situation, it is important to choose something as mild and safe as possible both for yourself and your car, and for those around you. If there is no time to make a decision, you need to start braking in your lane, trying not to crash into poles and trees. In addition, many motorists at the instinctive level try to save their lives, forgetting about the passengers in the cabin.
If your car has an electronic ABS system, then during a sharp braking it will try to preserve the controllability, which will allow you to correct the trajectory of the motion, based on the situation. If you understand that an encounter with a pole is inevitable, make the car hit it with the spar, not the central part of the body.
General tips
Every driver will find it helpful to consider general tips to help make the right decision in the event of an imminent accident:
Always try to anticipate the road situation by observing your neighbors in the stream and trying to predict their future actions by evaluating their maneuvers. It is important to learn to remember the basic rules and assess who is driving nearby, at what distance and how fast.
If possible, take a contra-vehicle training course to practice your driving skills, develop reactions and improve maneuvering. These skills are sure to come in handy in a potentially critical situation where an accident is inevitable.
Remember that no two situations are the same on the road. Therefore, there are no universal recipes or solutions. It’s one thing when you avoid an accident on an empty highway, and quite another when it comes to an imminent collision on a busy city avenue.
Always keep a safe distance. Try not to approach the car in front of you with a distance comparable to 4 seconds to brake. If there is enough distance to reduce your speed, you will most likely be able to slow down.
Drive carefully to minimize the risk of dangerous situations. If you drive at an adequate speed without reckless lane changes, you can avoid many accidents.
Be cold-blooded. In extreme cases it is important not to feel confused and not to panic, covering your face with hands or throwing the steering wheel. It is important to act rationally and without emotions. With such an approach the chances of saving your life and the lives of your passengers will increase significantly.
If you are not able to switch off your emotions and become hypersensitive while driving, and in stressful conditions you are completely lost, perhaps you need to gain skills from a trained instructor and take a kind of refresher course, including practicing your counter accident training skills.