On average, there are six million car crashes per year in the United States. Those who are lucky only have to send their vehicle to the auto body shop. Three million wind up injured or worse. While many accidents are unavoidable, by learning defensive driving strategies, you can significantly reduce your risks. The list below explains some of the most effective.

Ways to Keep Your Car Out of the Auto Body Shop

1. Monitor Your Blind Spots

Blind spots are the areas outside of your peripheral vision that can’t be seen in the rearview or side mirrors. To make sure the way is clear, quickly turn your head behind your shoulder to ensure a lane change is safe.

2. Stay Alert & Look Ahead

You should always have your eyes as far down the road as possible so that you can anticipate problems. Look for first responder vehicles, which may require you to move over, as well as any debris.

3. Expect Other Drivers to Make Mistakes

Never trust anyone on the road, and be prepared to react should the situation call for it. Of the people who wind up at auto body shops every year, approximately 400,000 of those crashes were the result of texting while driving. Therefore, keep your eye out for people whose heads are down and try to put distance between you and them.

Additionally, people forget to use their turn signal, tailgate, or drive aggressively, resulting in an accident. Learn to anticipate when someone leaning to the right or left is planning to merge. Give yourself plenty of stopping distance. And don’t respond to those around you who may be impatient or rude.

When you need quality dent repair, trust the experts at Tracy's Collision Center in Lincoln, NE. The auto body shop handles a wide range of collision and auto paint repair services for local residents including bumpers and auto glass. To schedule your collision estimate, call 441-4820 today or visit them online to learn more about their offerings.