Owning a BMW comes with many things, from the status that comes with owning one of these luxury cars to the comfort and power that you get sitting behind the wheel. There are a lot of positives that come with getting your hands on a set of BMW keys, but there are some negatives too.
Anytime you head out on the road, you are at risk of getting into a car accident, even with the best driving skills. How can BMW owners — and drivers in general — work to minimize the impact of a car accident if it becomes unavoidable?
Drive Defensively
There are plenty of aggressive drivers out there, and we don’t want to add to their numbers. When it comes to minimizing the impact of a car accident, driving defensively is the way to go. Driving defensively is simply using your observation and driving skills to reduce your chances of getting into an accident. You learn to anticipate how other drivers might move and react if they do something unexpected.
It is important to note that this isn’t a foolproof method to prevent accidents. As soon as you call something foolproof, the universe creates a better fool. If the collision is unavoidable, the goal then becomes to make small changes to minimize the overall impact of the accident.
Slow Down
The faster you’re moving, the more destructive an accident can become. This is when you’ll want to start tapping into your defensive driving skills. Stay constantly aware of the cars surrounding you. After a while, you may even be able to anticipate when they’re going to change lanes or cut you off, and that is when you know it’s time to slow down. Even by a little, reducing your speed can help reduce the resulting damage. Studies show that dropping just five mph can reduce accidents by 50%.
Be smart about this tip. Driving 15 or 20 mph below the posted speed limit can be dangerous on highways or other roads with a high speed limit. If you find yourself heading for an accident, slow down as much as you safely can or downshift if you’re driving a stick-shift.
Aim Carefully: Terrain
Ideally, your defensive driving skills will allow you to avoid these accidents in the first place. Still, if it becomes unavoidable, the next best step is to try and redirect your car so you can hit a stationary object instead of another moving vehicle. Some freeways and other high-speed locations have impact attenuators designed to absorb the impact and bring vehicle safety to a stop. They used to utilize barrels of water or sandbags, but the technology has evolved.
If there is no impact attenuators available, aim for the most forgiving object you can find. A stack of trash cans will do less overall damage than a concrete wall or a tree. Keep in mind that if you go off-road, it increases your vehicle’s chances to flip or roll. In this case, there is no reducing the impact of the accident — you will likely find yourself being cut out of your totaled vehicle with the jaws of life, assuming you are wearing your seatbelt and survive the initial collision.
Aim Carefully: Car
If you’re heading directly for a car and you can’t change direction enough to avoid it, it’s time to start considering where you’re going to aim. The point of contact can dramatically change the amount of damage that occurs. A straight rear-end collision will do more harm than aiming for the tail lights on one side or other.
A t-bone collision that puts you in the center of the car will cause it to crumble, whereas aiming for the engine compartment or the trunk will allow it to absorb more of the impact. Head-on collisions can be deadly, so turn away from oncoming traffic — to the right if you’re in the United States or toward the left, if you’re anywhere else in the world. With luck, you’ll strike headlights and reduce the chances of significant damage or fatalities.
Wear Your Seatbelt
Whether you’re driving a BMW or a beater, the best thing you can do to protect yourself while you’re behind the wheel is to wear your seatbelt. You may not always be able to avoid accidents.
You might be the most skilled driver on the road, but it’s not your skills that you need to worry about — it’s everyone else’s. If you find yourself in a situation where a collision is unavoidable, remember these tips to reduce the impact of the crash and help preserve your favorite daily driver for years to come.