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"No matter how cautious a driver you may be, high-risk drivers may cause an accident that can injure you or your family. High-risk drivers include inexperienced drivers, those on medications, and aggressive drivers,” said Fort Myers Accident Lawyer Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.

Inexperienced Drivers: More than a quarter-million teen drivers are treated in emergency rooms annually because of vehicle accidents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ranks inexperienced drivers, such as teens and other new drivers, as potential high-risk drivers. Many of these drivers are blamed for other drivers’ and passengers’ injuries and tragic deaths.

Medicated Drivers: Drivers on medications may not be safe drivers because of the effects of their medications on their ability to drive, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Aggressive Drivers: Aggressive drivers are high-risk drivers. An aggressive driver is defined by the NHTSA as a driver who commits a combination of moving traffic offenses that can endanger other persons, such as speeding, a failure to yield the right-of-way, improper or unsafe lane changes, improper passing, following too closely, or the failure to obey traffic control devices (stop signs, yield signs, traffic signals, railroad grade cross signals, etc.).

Nemours Children’s Hospital provides the following 8 defensive driving tips to help reduce the risk of accidents:

1. Think safety first. Avoiding aggressive and inattentive driving tendencies yourself will put you in a stronger position to deal with other people's bad driving. Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front. Always lock your doors and wear your seatbelt to protect you from being thrown from the car in a crash. 
2. Be aware of your surroundings — pay attention. Check your mirrors frequently and scan conditions 20 to 30 seconds ahead of you. Keep your eyes moving. If a vehicle is showing signs of aggressive driving, slow down or pull over to avoid it. If the driver is driving so dangerously that you're worried, try to get off the roadway by turning right or taking the next exit if it's safe to do so. Also, keep an eye on pedestrians, bicyclists, and pets along the road. 
3. Do not depend on other drivers. Be considerate of others but look out for yourself. Do not assume another driver is going to move out of the way or allow you to merge. Assume that drivers will run through red lights or stop signs and be prepared to react. Plan your movements anticipating the worst-case scenario. 
4. Follow the 3- to 4-second rule. Since the greatest chance of a collision is in front of you, using the 3- to 4-second rule will help you establish and maintain a safe following distance and provide adequate time for you to brake to a stop if necessary. The distance for following a car in front of you should increase as you travel at higher speed and if traveling in road conditions affected by the weather. 
5. Keep your speed down. Posted speed limits apply to ideal conditions. It's your responsibility to ensure that your speed matches the conditions. In addition, higher speeds make controlling your vehicle that much more difficult if things go wrong. To maintain control of your vehicle, you must control your speed. 
6. Have an escape route. In all driving situations, the best way to avoid potential dangers is to position your vehicle where you have the best chance of seeing and being seen. Having an alternate path of travel also is essential, so always leave yourself an out — a place to move your vehicle if your immediate path of travel is suddenly blocked. 
7. Separate risks. When faced with multiple risks, it's best to manage them one at a time. Your goal is to avoid having to deal with too many risks at the same time. 
8. Cut out distractions. A distraction is any activity that diverts your attention from the task of driving. Driving deserves your full attention — so stay focused on the driving task. 

“If you or a loved one is injured in an accident because of the negligence of another, please contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. after seeking medical attention. We represent people involved in numerous types of personal injury and wrongful death accidents throughout the state of Florida. All our clients have unique personal injury cases. Our firm provides personal contact and communication along with aggressive representation. We are available to assist you 24/7, and there are no costs or attorney fees until we receive a monetary recovery for you,” said Fort Myers Accident Lawyer Randall Spivey.

Fort Myers Accident Lawyer Randall L. Spivey is a Board-Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one percent (1%) of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll-free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information. You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County at 239.793.7748.