Whenever they’re behind the wheel, it’s very important for motorists to obey all traffic laws. If they do not, they could be pulled over and cited. They could also cause a car accident.
Drivers are sometimes frustrated by traffic tickets, feeling that they were committing a “victimless crime.” But the risk of accidents is the reason why traffic laws exist in the first place, and breaking those laws make the accidents more likely. Below are two common examples of preventable infractions that, when committed, risk accidents.
Tailgating
One issue that happens often is that drivers do not maintain a proper following distance. Tailgating is illegal under Mississippi law, which states that a driver must maintain a reasonable and prudent following distance. Some people tailgate aggressively and others are oblivious. They do not know what a reasonable and prudent following distance looks like. So they may accidentally tailgate, believing that they are leaving a large enough gap. The fact that they’re not becomes clear only when they cause an accident.
Distracted driving
It’s also important to note that Mississippi has a hands-free law, stating that no one should hold an electronic device in their hand while operating a motor vehicle. This means no text messages, no phone calls, no searching for a new destination on the GPS or a new playlist unless that effort is made in a hands-free way.
There are some situations in which hands-free systems can be used, but the goal of this law is to keep a person’s hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road at all times. Holding a cellphone is simply far too distracting, and anyone who does it dramatically increases the odds that they will cause an accident.
Have you suffered injuries?
You may fully understand that following traffic laws is important, and you may do it consistently. But you could still be injured if another driver breaks the law and causes a crash, and that’s why it’s important to understand that accident victims have rights and may be entitled to compensation as a result of their harm.