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9 Driving Tips to Make it Through the Commute Safely

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Detroit Commuters Face Longer Drive Times Than Most of U.S.

A study led by EducatedDriver.org found the average American works about 45 years of their life with a 52-minute commute each day. That equals out to 408 days sitting behind the wheel in traffic, adding riskier time on the road spent with reckless or distracted drivers, and congested traffic delays and backups caused by road work or other accidents. In Michigan, Detroit workers have about nine days more of their life commuting than the average U.S. worker. Average commute times for other Michigan cities include:

  • Warren (55.2)
  • Troy (55.2)
  • Farmington Hills (55.2)
  • Dearborn (53.4)
  • Livonia (50.4)
  • Flint (51.8)
  • Ann Arbor (46.8)
  • Jackson (46.8)
  • Bay City (44.4)
  • Traverse City (44)
  • Saginaw (43.4)
  • Grand Rapids (43.4)
  • Muskegon (42.8)
  • Lansing (42.2)
  • Kalamazoo (41.6)
  • Battle Creek (40.6)
  • Marquette (35.8)
  • Alpena (35.4)

91 percent of Michigan workers drive to work each day and nearly 30 percent of them work outside of their county of residence. EducatorDriver.org used data from the U.S. Census Bureau on average daily roundtrip commute times for nearly 1,000 cities to complete the study.

Commuters with Bad Habits Contribute to Higher Accident Risks

Commuters who practice unsafe driver behaviors contribute to a significant number of roadway deaths and lifelong injuries to others, especially as they face longer commute times and more driving on the road than most. It’s best to follow these commuter safe driving tips from the motor vehicle accident injury attorneys at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm.

  1. It’s simple. Expect and plan for delays.
  2. Always allow extra travel time to navigate areas that are known to be busy and congested.
  3. Select alternate routes that may be faster, less busy, and typically safer than driving in heavy traffic.
  4. Traffic can change without notice and driver inattention remains the leading cause of all crashes. Take extra care to pay attention and expect meeting a roadway risk on any drive.
  5. Distracted driving has become a crisis on all roadways. Don’t text or talk on the phone and avoid taking your hands off the wheel and eyes off the road.
  6. Keep plenty of distance between you and other vehicles to help with reaction times. The higher your speed, for instance, the longer and more time it will take you to come to a complete stop.
  7. Aggressive driving is a major cause of interstate crashes. Stay calm or pull over to a safe zone if you need a break or find yourself filling with rage.
  8. Rear-end collisions are the most common type of interstate crash related to congested traffic patterns. Avoid a wreck by giving adequate space to the other drivers around you.
  9. Respect construction zones by watching for workers and obey changing speed limits and construction traffic signage. This signage may be giving accurate information and important warnings on what to expect ahead.

In general, be a more patient and calmer driver during commute times to reduce increased interactions or crash risk factors between you and everyone else sharing the road.

Our Auto Accident Attorneys Can Help Injured Michigan Commuters

The truth is, even the unthinkable can happen to the safest driver out there and car crashes that end with serious injuries happen far more frequently than most of us realize. If you are a commuter and you were injured in a motor vehicle accident, the auto accident attorneys at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm would like to speak to you and help provide relief.

Call us today for a free consultation about your case: 1-800-LEE-FREE or fill out the Free Case Evaluation Form.