As we enter 2026, safe driving is not only about avoiding a crash, it is also about reducing the risk of serious injury and limiting legal exposure when the worst happens. In Florida, liability often turns on whether a driver acted reasonably under the circumstances. The habits below can help you protect yourself, your passengers, and others on the road, while also reducing the likelihood that you will be blamed for a preventable collision.
Distraction is one of the most common contributors to preventable crashes. Research using naturalistic driving data has found substantially higher crash or near crash risk during tasks such as dialing a phone, reaching for a phone, or texting. From a liability standpoint, distracted driving creates a clear narrative of negligence. If you are involved in a crash and evidence shows you were handling a device, the insurance company and opposing counsel may argue you failed to use reasonable care.
Practical approach: set navigation before you drive, silence notifications, and keep your phone out of reach.
Alcohol impairment increases crash risk, including at BAC levels around the legal limit. A well-cited study estimated markedly elevated relative risk for fatal crash involvement at BACs in the 0.08% to 0.10% range. Impairment also creates significant liability exposure. If alcohol is involved, the case can shift quickly from an ordinary negligence claim to one involving punitive damages and other serious consequences.
Practical approach: plan a sober ride, use a rideshare, or stay overnight.
Speed affects both the likelihood of a serious crash outcome and the ability to avoid a collision in the first place. Research has quantified increasing risk of serious injury in crashes as travel speed rises. In liability terms, speeding can be used as evidence that you were driving unreasonably for conditions. Even if you are not the only cause of a crash, speed can increase your share of fault.
Practical approach: leave earlier, slow down in rain, and avoid “catching the light” accelerations.
Seat belts are one of the most consistently supported safety measures in crash injury prevention. A 2015 meta analysis of studies controlling for crash severity found seat belts reduce fatal and non fatal injuries for occupants, with substantial protective effects. Seat belt use also matters in personal injury claims. If someone is unbelted, an insurer may argue that injuries were worsened by avoidable choices, which can complicate damage arguments.
Practical approach: lap belt low across the hips, shoulder belt across the chest, no slack, no tucking behind the back.
Rear end collisions are frequently treated as preventable because drivers are expected to maintain enough distance to stop safely. Keeping more space gives you time to recognize hazards and reduces panic braking. It also reduces liability risk because tailgating makes it easier for an insurer to argue you created the emergency.
Practical approach: use at least a three second following distance in good conditions, increase it in rain, darkness, or heavy traffic.
Aggressive behaviors like weaving, hard acceleration, and “teaching another driver a lesson” elevate risk quickly. Defensive driving means scanning ahead, anticipating sudden stops, and letting unsafe drivers pass rather than engaging. This approach not only reduces crash risk, it also supports your credibility if a claim arises. Calm, consistent driving is easier to defend than erratic or retaliatory behavior.
Practical approach: treat merging and lane changes as cooperative, signal early, and avoid emotional reactions.
No one can control every hazard on the road, but these six practices reduce the likelihood of a serious collision and can strengthen your position if you are forced to deal with an insurance claim. If you have been injured in a crash and need experienced guidance, contact Aronberg & Aronberg for help from trusted personal injury attorneys in Boynton Beach, Florida.
