The best way to stay safe from a car accident is to actively avoid them in the first place by
taking the right safety steps. Still, one never truly knows when they might be in an accident. That’s why it’s good to do some accident preparedness. Doing this will ensure you’re as safe as possible should an accident occur…
Accident Preparedness: Proper Measures
Adjust your headrest
The headrest isn’t just there for you to lean you head back on during a long drive. In fact, it’s an important part of accident preparedness. Your headrest will help to keep your head in place and prevent it from slamming back violently, which could be extremely dangerous. However, you’ll need to adjust your headrest properly in order for it to work effectively. Ideally, the crown of your head should be level with the top of the headrest. If it’s too low, then you can end up bending your head and neck over it, which is
a common cause of neck injuries in car accidents.
Wear your seatbelt
It seems obvious, but wearing your seatbelt is a crucial part of accident preparedness. Your seatbelt is basically a harness which keeps you secure in your seat. That way, if you get into an accident, you won’t go flying either through the windshield or around your car. Instead, you’ll be securely in place and make contact with the airbags instead. The important thing to remember here is that you should
always wear your seatbelt when driving. A lot of people fall into a habit of not wearing theirs, especially during short drives. Ultimately, it isn’t worth the risk, as even in minor accidents you can get injured pretty badly when not wearing a seatbelt.
Avoid tensing up
When an accident is imminent, many people’s first reaction is to tense their bodies. Usually, this is helpful, as it prepares us for when something is going to hit us. In a car accident, though, it’s actually something you want to avoid. Rather, relaxing your body is key for proper accident preparedness. This makes it so most of the impact of the crash travels through you, instead of your body taking in all that energy and force. Plus, it could also cause things like broken bones when hitting the airbags.
