Fatal Car Crash from Driver Overcorrecting

A Salem man was involved in a fatal car crash from overcorrecting while driving along U.S. Highway 20. Oregon State Police say the man drove off the roadway for an unknown reason into a ditch along the west side of the highway. He then overcorrected crossing both lanes of the highway and ended up in the ditch on the east side. The vehicle then rolled several times. He was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and was ejected from the vehicle. Traffic along U.S. Highway 20 near the accident was closed for about 45 minutes while crews investigated and cleared the wreckage. The following are the dangers of overcorrecting and how to prevent such an accident.

Dangers of Overcorrecting

Police officers will often report drivers “over-correcting.” To overcorrect means to oversteer when you feel you’ve lost control of the vehicle. Overcorrecting is a common jerk reaction in many drivers and often leads to fatal car accidents.

Overcorrection is a common cause of car accidents that often leads to rollover accidents. Rollover accidents often lead to serious injuries or even death. The dangers of overcorrecting can often be avoided when the driver is using proper techniques to be safe. Here are some tips to prevent overcorrecting.

How to Prevent Overcorrecting

Keep your hands at 10 and 2 positions on the steering wheel. Keeping your hands at this position to help prevent you from making a sharp steering maneuver.

Avoid distractions while driving. The main cause of drifting and then overcorrecting is due to the driver not paying attention. Avoid the jerk reaction to overcorrect by staying on the road in the first place.

Pay close attention to what’s going on in front of you. Another major reason for vehicles going off the road is an object in the road or some other sudden change. Always be paying attention to what is coming up ahead.

Drive smooth. Avoid sudden jerks by driving smoothly through turns or when braking. Keep the car’s momentum under control by braking and turning smoothly. If you suddenly hit gravel, ease back.

Stay calm. If you do find yourself drifting, remember to not panic. Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel and ease the vehicle back onto the road. You will have to fight gravity a bit by forcing the wheels to pull in the right direction. You will also have to resist the urge to jerk the wheel; otherwise known as overcorrecting.

Ease off the accelerator. Force the vehicle to slow down slowly by simply taking your foot off the accelerator. This will help you to regain control. If necessary, brake gradually.

Call a Car Accident Lawyer Right Away

If you’ve been injured in a car crash, call the attorneys at Parke Gordon Law Firm to handle your case. The car accident attorneys at Parke Gordon Law Firm have years of experience representing car accident clients and obtaining impressive results in their behalf. Don’t wait to call a car accident attorney from Parke Gordon Law Firm! Call us now for a free consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer.  We can take the stress out of a claim and we’ll fight to get you full value for your car accident injuries. Our law firm believes every client deserves fair representation against big insurance companies with deep pockets.