Responsible drivers avoid the common hazards that cause motor vehicle accidents such as speeding, texting while driving, failure to maintain a safe following distance, and driving under the influence. However, it’s the overlooked hazards that you are not prepared for that can cause a great deal of harm. Here are three commonly overlooked dangers that get little attention yet cause car accidents:
Inappropriate Footwear
Few people will dispute that the correct use of the accelerator and brake pedals is important, yet many people will drive with whatever footwear they happen to be wearing at the time. Two of the worst types are flip-flops and high-heals. Flip-flops can slide off your feet especially when resting the heel on the floor while using the accelerator pedal. When bringing up your foot to brake, the flip-flop can catch the underside of the brake pedal. This interferes with the safe operation of your car. In addition, putting them back on after they slide off your feet, takes your eyes and attention off the road.
High heels reduce the range of motion of the ankles which interferes with proper operation of the brake and accelerator pedals. They also cause you to miss the pedals and can twist your foot.
Rusted Brake Lines
If your car is old and has seen many snowy or icy winters where the roads are treated with salt or corrosive chemicals, there is a good possibility that your brake lines are rusted. Rust does not bear up to the hydraulic pressures that actuate your brakes and can cause brake fluid leaks. Sometimes the failure is catastrophic with a sudden loss of brake function. This problem often goes unnoticed for a long time because few people consider looking under their car at their brake lines.
Chronically Under-Inflated Tires
Visual tire checks and relying on your low tire pressure light can result in driving on chronically under-inflated tires. The low pressure indicator light does not turn on until your tires are substantially low on air, and a tire that’s 20 percent under-inflated looks OK to the eye. The only way of assessing the correct tire pressure is using a pressure gauge.
What happens when tires are constantly driven on while under-inflated? The constant flexing and over heating of the tire fatigues and weakens the rubber. This can cause a tire blowout while driving. Under-inflated tires degrade your car’s handling which means that you can’t make hard emergency maneuvers to avoid an accident.
Contact a Colorado Car Accident Lawyer Today
Contact a Colorado car accident lawyer today. If you or someone close to you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident because of the actions of another motorist, a car accident lawyer at Tenge Law Firm can help you explore your legal options. We have Colorado offices in Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins.