Road safety

How to Prevent Traffic Accidents: 12 Habits That Save Lives

The vast majority of traffic crashes are not "accidents" in the sense of something unavoidable. According to the World Health Organization, about 1.2 million people die on the world's roads every year, and the causes are the same in every country: speeding, alcohol, distraction, and not wearing a seat belt or helmet. In Ecuador, the National Transit Agency (ANT) records more than two thousand deaths every year, with driver inexperience or recklessness listed as the leading cause.

The good news: almost everything comes down to decisions you make before you start the engine.

The 5 most common causes

1. Distracted driving, especially by cell phones. Reading a text at 80 km/h is like driving more than 100 meters blindfolded.
2. Speeding, or driving too fast for rain, fog or road conditions.
3. Alcohol and other substances. They slow your reflexes and boost your confidence: the worst possible combination.
4. Ignoring traffic signs: running red lights and stop signs, passing on curves or across a double solid line.
5. Fatigue and drowsiness on long trips or in the early morning hours.

12 habits that reduce the risk

Before you leave

1. Check your vehicle: tires (pressure and tread), brakes, lights, wipers and fluid levels. A bald tire doubles stopping distance on wet pavement.
2. Plan your route and timing. If you'll be driving for more than 3 hours, plan a break every 2 hours.
3. If you've been drinking, don't drive. Take a taxi or a ride-hailing service, or choose a designated driver who stays sober.
4. Adjust your seat, mirrors and seat belt, and make sure every passenger buckles up, including in the back. Children should ride in a car seat suited to their age and weight.

Behind the wheel

5. Phone on silent and out of reach. If you need GPS, set it up before you pull out.
6. Obey speed limits and slow down further in rain or fog, at night and in school zones.
7. Keep your distance: follow the 3-second rule with the car ahead, 5 seconds or more in the rain.
8. Always signal lane changes and turns, and check your blind spot before moving over.
9. Pass only with full visibility, never on curves, bridges or at intersections, or across a solid line.
10. Watch out for motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians. They are the most vulnerable and the hardest to see.

On a motorcycle and on foot

11. Wear a certified helmet, properly fastened, a reflective vest or clothing, and keep your lights on even during the day.
12. Cross at corners or crosswalks, make eye contact with drivers and don't wear headphones while crossing.

What about companies?

Fleets (delivery, transportation, sales) can reduce crashes through regular training, limits on driving hours, preventive maintenance and speed monitoring. For insurers, knowing precisely how each loss happened is the foundation for preventing the next one: a detailed adjuster's report, with recorded interviews and verifiable photos, feeds reliable statistics by route, time of day and vehicle type.

That is exactly what Peritovia does: it turns every inspection into organized, verifiable information.

Sources: World Health Organization, Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023; Ecuador's National Transit Agency, crash statistics.