Auto accidents are common in the United States and can have disastrous effects — every 13 minutes, a death occurs due to an auto accident in the U.S. Auto accidents are the number one reason for personal injury lawsuits to be filed in the U.S., and if you find yourself involved in a lawsuit, you should look into the best auto accidents lawyers to help you through the process. An investigation report will be filed detailing the events that led to the accident, and the role of auto accidents lawyers is to make sure their client gets what he or she deserves.

Car accidents claims can be expensive, and it’s best to avoid them altogether because they can cause a headache for everyone. If you’re wondering how to avoid an accident or just want to brush up on some safe driving habits that every driver should practice, here are some ways to avoid car accidents today. Distracted drivers are responsible for about one in five auto accidents, so making sure you’re an attentive driver can help prevent a tragedy associated with a car accident.

1. Don’t text while driving
Texting causes the driver’s attention to be averted to the message, and it’s extremely dangerous because it requires active use of your hands when you should be focusing on steering the car. Even looking down for a few seconds to send or read a text message can be a long enough distraction to cause an accident. It’s best to shut your phone off or put it on silent, because texting while driving puts you at risk as well as other safe drivers on the road.

2. Avoid talking on the phone
Today there are lots of hands-free features available in cars and on cell phones that allow drivers to have a phone conversation without touching the phone. If you have to talk while driving, make it short, because even if you have a hands-free setup, your attention is directed to the call and you can become easily distracted. There are few things that are more important than arriving safely at your destination, so wait to talk whenever possible.

3. Don’t eat messy food
If you’re someone who’s always on-the-go, it can be tempting to get a delicious meal and eat it on your way to work or a meeting, but this is extremely dangerous. If something spills (especially hot coffee or a messy milkshake), you will immediately be concerned with that and won’t be watching the road. With today’s hectic lifestyles, it can also be beneficial to take a break and spend a few minutes eating, so you’re not always multitasking.

4. Don’t watch TV
This might seem obvious, but lots of smart phones today offer live streaming video or allow you to watch your favorite shows from anyone. If you missed your favorite drama this week and want to catch up, it’s best not to do this while you’re driving.

5. Drinking and driving
This is reckless and is against the law, so if you get caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you can get in a lot of trouble and possible have your license revoked.

Have you recently been involved in an auto accident and had to sort through all of the auto accidents lawyers to find the best one? If you have any advice for someone who is wondering if they need to hire an attorney for personal injury, please share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. Read more here.