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7 Myths about Car Safety | Virginia accident lawyer injury attorney

Here at the O’Bryan Law Firm, not only are we dedicated to helping you with your personal injury case if you’re involved in a vehicle crash, we also want to provide information that will help prevent car accidents.

It has come to our attention that there are many myths floating around about car safety, so we hope to dispel some of those myths in this article. Here are seven myths about car safety that you may not be aware of:

Myth #1: Most people consider minivans to be extremely “safe” vehicles. However, in reality, minivans are classified by the federal government as “light trucks” which means that they don’t have to meet the same bumper-impact standards as passenger cars.

Myth #2: SUVs are safe vehicles. SUVs are also classified as “light trucks” by the government - and light trucks also do not have to meet the same roof-crush standards as passenger cars. If an SUV is involved in a rollover, the roof may not hold up as well as a car’s which could result in injury or death.

Myth #3: Another myth people believe is that a car with airbags is the safest car you can buy. Not true. The truth is that the size and weight of a vehicle matters more. A 4500-pound full-size car, even without airbags, offers better occupant protection/survivability than a 2500-pound compact that has them.

Myth #4: Many people think that seatbelts can hurt you in a car accident. Although seatbelts have been known to cause harm to passengers, those little scars and bruises don’t compare to the major injuries that can happen if someone isn’t wearing a seatbelt.

Myth #5: A big myth that people believe is that cars with ABS brakes are always safer than older cars without ABS brakes. Several studies have discovered that people who drive ABS-equipped cars often fail to fully depress the brake pedal in a panic stop. An ABS system will prevent the wheels from locking which can cause the car to skid.

Myth #6: One big myth that has been around for quite some time is that “speeding kills”. In actuality, people who are slow drivers cause more car accidents. People who drive 10 mph slower than the flow of traffic are six times more likely to be in accident than those traveling 5-10-mph faster than the average flow of traffic.

Myth #7: When it comes to child passengers, it’s a myth that a child is safer riding in the back seat. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Children who sit in the back are actually more likely to cause distractions for a driver which could lead to an accident.

As personal injury lawyers, we’ve seen all different types of vehicle-related crashes. Our best advice when it comes to car safety is to use your own judgment and follow your gut instinct when it comes to driving safe. Also, make sure to browse through our library for more articles that contain tips about safe driving.

O’Bryan Law Firm is located in Richmond, VA, and serves the following counties, cities and towns:

Richmond: Church Hill, The Fan District, Near West end, Far West End, Jackson Ward, Carver, Southside, North side, Barton Heights, Bellevue, Ginter Park, Washington Park, Hermitage Rd, Highland Park, Sherwood Park, East End, Carytown, Museum District, Court End, Fulton Hill, Manchester, Newtowne West, Oregon Hill, Randolph, The River District, Shockoe Bottom, Three Corners District, Tobacco Row, Shockoe Slip, Union Hill, Westover Hills, Forest Hill, Bon Air, Stratford Hills, Meadowbrook, Woodland Heights, Montrose Heights, Fairfield Court, Creighton Court, Whitcomb Court, Mosby Court, Eastview, Brauers, Peter Paul, Woodville, North Church Hill, Chimborazo, Brandermill, and Oakwood. Henrico County: Chamberlayne, Dumbarton, East Highland Park, Glen Allen, Highland Springs, Lakeside, Laurel, Montrose, Short Pump, Tuckahoe, Wyndham, Sandston, Varina, Westhampton. Chesterfield County: Bellwood, Belmont, Bon Air, Brandermill, Chester, Courthouse, Enon, Ettrick, Genito, Gordon, Harrowgate, Hening, Jefferson Davis North, Manchester, Matoaca, Meadowbrook, Midlothian, Reams, Robiou, Rockwood, Salisbury, South Rockwood, Spring Run, Winterpock, Woodlake. Hanover County: Ashland, Atlee, Beaverdam, Doswell, Elmont, Hanover Courthouse, Mechanicsville, Montpelier, Old Church, Rockville. Petersburg. South Boston. Colonial Heights. Hopewell. South Hill. Farmville. Powhatan County: Ballsville, Beaumont, Belona, Chestnut Oaks, Clayville, Dorset, Fin Creek Mills, Flat Rock, Genito, Goode Crossing, Hatchers, Hideaway Lake, Holly Hills, Huguenot, Huguenot Springs, Jefferson, Lilburn, Macon, Michaux, Moseley, Pilkinton, Plain View, Powhatan, Provost, Red Lane, Smiths Crossroads, Subletts, Tobaccoville, Trenholm, Worshams. Amelia County: Amelia Courthouse, Winterham. Caroline County: Bowling Green, Port Royal Mecklenburg County: Boydton, Brodnax, Chase City, Clarksville, La Crosse, Bracey. Halifax County: Clarksville, Halifax, Scottsburg, Virginia, Clover, Cluster Springs, Cody, Nathalie, Omega, Turbeville, Vernon Hill. Lunenburg County: Kenbridge, Victoria, Lunenburg, Meherrin. Prince Edward County: Farmville, Pamplin City, Prospect, Hampden Sydney, Meherrin, Rice. Nottaway County: Blackstone, Burkeville, Crewe, Nottoway.