A man from Westland was recently killed after getting out of his vehicle in the middle of traffic on Interstate 696. Michigan law enforcement responded to the accident after the man stopped his vehicle on the road for an unknown reason. A second vehicle was unable to stop and collided with both the man and his vehicle.
Following the collision, the second vehicle pulled over and remained at the scene of the accident. Neither alcohol nor drugs are believed to have played any role in the accident.
Reasons to be Cautious When Exiting Vehicles
There are many reasons why a person might need to exit a vehicle suddenly. While it is often necessary to do so, suddenly exiting a vehicle and entering the road can be dangerous and greatly endanger the lives of motorists.
Numerous injuries and fatalities are caused by people exiting vehicles who fail to consider the flow of surrounding traffic. A common reason why these accidents occur is that commercial truck drivers have an especially difficult time spotting pedestrians on the road.
Safety Strategies to Follow When Exiting Vehicles
If you do need to exit your vehicle, you should follow several helpful strategies, which include:
- Carefully examine the surrounding area. Inspect both your vehicle and the area surrounding it before exiting the automobile. This includes looking for potential obstacles like grease, ice, oil, snow, rocks, and potholes. You should also inspect the surrounding area for traffic before exiting a vehicle.
- Remove snow and ice. Make sure that ice or snow are safely removed from an area that you commonly enter after leaving your vehicle, such as your driveway or the street in front of your home.
- Remove potential trip hazards. Remove clutter from a vehicle and make sure that any nearby equipment is adequately secured to avoid tripping, which can lead to serious accidents.
- Avoid overhead obstacles. If it is possible to do so, avoid parking in an area where overhead obstacles exist.
- Follow the three-point rule. If your vehicle is situated higher off the ground, utilize a “three-point” contract method to safely place your feet on the ground. This means you should keep three points in contact with the vehicle — either one hand and two feet or two hands and one foot. If you need to climb out of a vehicle, face the vehicle while exiting. If the vehicle is equipped with access steps or handholds, make sure to use them.
- Use footwear. Make sure that the treads on your footwear are appropriate before stepping in a vehicle. Failure to wear adequate footwear can lead to falls and subsequent accidents while leaving an automobile.
Have Questions? Contact Us Today
Each day, a countless number of people in Michigan have their lives forever changed due to car accidents. No matter how the accident occurred, if you or a loved one is injured in a car accident, it can help greatly to retain the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney in Clare, MI.
Contact Jay Trucks and Associates, PC today to schedule a free case evaluation. Ph: (989) 601-2554.
