NYC Residents – The Key To Road Safety In The City
There are about 1.4 million cars on New York City streets, which is a sharp increase from the past couple of decades. For residents living in Bronx, sharing the roads and finding a place to park has only grown more difficult with the higher number of cars in the city. Part of the reason for this spike in drivers is down to a more expensive public transportation system, and outdated infrastructure. Naturally, with more cars on NYC streets, it is more important than ever for residents to be aware of their surrounding and put safety first when behind the wheel.
Defensive Driving is Proven to Save Lives
Living in a city like New York means sharing the road with all different types of drivers – and many of them have aggressive and dangerous habits. One strategy that’s shown to have effective results is taking a defensive approach when operating your vehicle. Some cases have shown that defensive drivers have a 50% reduction in fatality rate on the road. Keeping this in mind when behind the wheel could save a life.
As a part of driving defensively, traffic safety experts all agree that one of the major ways to reduce risk on the road is to drive without distractions. Every year, roughly 3,500 people die as a result of distracted driving – and that risk is elevated on the congested roads of a city like New York. Residents know that driving in the city requires alertness, since the situation on the road can change in an instant. The onus for residents to clear away distractions when driving can go a long way in making city streets a safer place to be.
Regular Maintenance Makes for a Safer Driving Environment
When people think of road safety, especially in a city, they usually think of the act of driving the vehicle itself. Which is why an often overlooked aspect of safe driving involves making sure that your car is running smoothly. An estimated 35% of Americans report having delayed or skipped maintenance repairs on their vehicles. This means that more people are likely to be broken down on the side of the road, causing a safety hazard for themselves and other drivers around them.
Breaking down in Bronx often leaves you with few options to safely pull over to fix the issue. The risk of being struck by another vehicle in situations like this skyrockets. Nevertheless, these events do happen, and it’s recommended that every driver is equipped with essential tools like a car jack or ramp in order to fix simple roadside issues like a flat tire in a safe and efficient manner. Having car trouble on New York City streets is stressful enough, and trying to figure out how to use the tools you need to fix the problem on the spot only makes the situation worse.
There is simply no possible way to eliminate all the risk that comes with driving in a place like New York City. With all the people on the roadways, it’s obvious that some of them will drive dangerously, and an accident is sometimes unavoidable. Regardless, knowing and practicing defensive driving plus regular vehicle maintenance can put residents in much safer situations overall. The more New Yorkers who adopt this mentality, the safer driving in the city will be.
