Clean up Your Dirty Car to Prevent North Carolina Car Accidents

September 15, 2011, by Michael A. DeMayo

Gross, slimy, trash-filled automobiles are North Carolina auto accident hazards.

We all intuitively know and admit this. But how many of us keep our vehicles clean and ready for road action? Look at your car right now. Is it dirty? Is it filled with old toys, gum, candy, food, papers, clothes, etc.?

Dirty cars contribute to accidents in more than just the obvious ways. Here are some reasons why a filthy automobile can get you into trouble on NC roads.

• If your windshield, rearview mirror, side-view mirror, or back windows are full of dirt, gunk, bird poop, insect remnants, and other nastiness, you will have more difficulty seeing traffic, merging, engaging in emergency maneuvers, and so on;

• Do you have kids’ toys rolling around your vehicle? Imagine what might happen if one of those toys rolls under your brake or accelerator pedal while you are on the highway;

• Driving in a really smelly, “close” car can cause concentration problems. If you are riding around with open paint cans or other garbage that aerosolizes fatigue-inducing compounds, inhaling this gunk can weaken your concentration and even cause you to black out behind the wheel;

• “Broken windows syndrome” effects. Sociology studies show that people are far more likely to “misbehave” in public – do things like littering, etc. – if their immediate environment is gross. For instance, if you are walking in a stadium where there’s litter all over the place, you will probably think nothing of adding to the litter by dropping trash on the floor. If your car is gross, filthy and overrun with garbage, you may be more likely to conceptualize yourself as someone who doesn’t take good care of your stuff, and that could subconsciously influence your ability to make safe decisions while on the road.

Of course, although prevention should be the cornerstone to reducing North Carolina car accidents, nothing you can do will provide absolute protection against disaster. Fortunately, you can tap into resources, like a reputable North Carolina car accident law firm, to make sense of your needs and responsibilities and begin to rebuild your life.

More web resources:

Broken windows theory.

Dirty cars equals dangerous cars.