Watch your speed. The damage to your car and yourself in an accident is caused by the tremendous kinetic energy that's built up in your car. The faster you go, the greater this energy. Running as fast as you can into a brick wall is an example of kinetic energy at work. When you double your speed, the destructive kinetic energy quadruples. The faster you drive, the greater the severity of your injuries. …show more content…
It's better to run your car into an empty field or bushes than into a large tree, concrete abutment, or head-on into another car. On the other hand, running off the road down a steep embankment or ravine causes a rollover accident and collision into hard immovable objects, which is something you want to avoid.
Wear your seatbelt. Decades of accident studies have verified that seatbelts save lives. Note that airbags are meant to work in combination with seatbelts. In fact, airbags cause serious injury to the unbelted driver or passenger.
Always sit properly. Make a habit of sitting upright with your back against the seat when in a car. This increases your chance of being in that position during an accident. Keep your hands on the steering wheel with straight wrists. Slouching, reclining the seat, or attempting to duck or cover your face with your hands and arms will cause greater injury.
Secure or put away all loose objects in your car. These become deadly missiles in a crash. The speed of a baseball after it's struck by a baseball bat achieves the same speed as the flying loose objects in your car during a