What’s the best way to survive any type of accident in Bellingham? Don’t get in one! You’re the only one who has the most control over what happens behind the wheel. The best way to survive an accident is not to get into one. Start by accepting responsibility for everything that happens when you’re in the driver seat. If there’s a wreck, you are not an accident victim, but instead an accident participant. It is your job, therefore, to avoid red-light runners, an oncoming driver making a left turn in front of you, sudden freeway jam-ups and those drivers who are composing text messages as they travel the freeway.

See problems before they become emergencies by looking far ahead, while using your peripheral vision to keep position in your lane. Here’s how to ensure that you’re looking far enough ahead: Use a dry-erase marker to draw a horizontal line on your windshield that crosses just under your pupils. On level ground, you should rarely look below that line. In tight traffic, look through the windshield of the vehicle ahead, or position your car a few inches to that driver’s left to see brake lights ahead of him.

Process what you see. When the brake lights of all the cars ahead of you flash, something is happening ahead. Slow down.

 Emergency 2: “Invisible” Pedestrians, Motorcycles and Small Vehicles
Approximately 36 percent of crashes involved a vehicle that was turning or crossing an intersection, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Because today’s cars often have thick roof pillars to hold side curtain airbags, it’s a lot harder to spot small cars, motorcycles and pedestrians that are about to cross your path than it used to be. So before you turn the steering wheel, look where you want to go. Remember this mnemonic: BLT, which in this case stands for brake, look and turn. This often means looking through the side windows. For U-turns, it requires looking through the rear passenger window. Even if you’re travelling straight, a quick glance through the side glass before you cross an intersection will reveal red-light runners and stop-sign skippers.

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