Getting into a car accident is a very scary yet very common occurrence. For minor car accidents, you might be able to escape with little to no injuries. But in many instances, car accidents leave drivers and passengers with at least some kind of injury.
Depending on the type and extent of your car accident, there may be things you can do to mitigate the injuries you sustain. To show you how this can be done, here are three ways to protect yourself from injury due to a car accident.
Wear Your Seatbelt Properly
One of the best ways to always keep yourself protected from harm when in a car is by wearing your seatbelt. However, many people either don’t wear their seatbelt every time they are in the car or wear their seatbelt incorrectly, which won’t protect them as it should.
To show you the right way to wear your seatbelt, Wes Siler, a contributor to Gizmodo.com, reminds us that the shoulder harness should always go over the shoulder, not under the arm. Additionally, the lap belt should be worn low and tight. If you don’t wear your seatbelt in this way, you run the risk of getting even more hurt due to improper use of your safety belt.
Protect Your Most Vital Areas
When in a car accident, there are certain areas of your body that are going to be more vulnerable than others. Because of this, you should try your best to protect these vital areas. According to Daniel Engber, a contributor to Popular Science, it’s much better to break your arm in a car accident than to get a head or neck injury.
One thing you can do to try to protect the most vital areas of your body is to ensure that you’ve packed your car properly. If you leave items loose in your car, they can and will become projectiles in the event of a car accident. These items could easily hit you or your passengers in the head, which is the one area of your body that you want to be sure to protect. So to keep this from happening, make sure you always secure your cargo and keep it low to the floor of your vehicle.
Prepare For Impact
If you see that a car accident is imminent for you, your body will naturally try to brace itself. To make this as effective as possible, Megan Brame, a contributor to WiseBread.com, advises that you try to keep your hands on the steering wheel with your wrists straight and your head pressed back into your headrest.
In these positions, you’ll keep your arms out of the way of your airbag going off and you’ll secure your head so any whiplash will be minimized.
To give yourself the best chance of surviving a car accident, consider using the tips mentioned above to protect yourself when in a car accident.