Research Shows Looking Left Might Add Years To Your Life

The reason bungee jumping, swimming with sharks, and skydiving are considered bucket-list adventures and not everyday activities—for most of us at least—is because of their death-defying qualities. But, if that's the case, should we just as sparingly be getting behind the wheel of a car? According to longevity expert Peter Attia, M.D., automotive deaths are more prevalent than we may think, but the simple act of looking left might reduce those rates.

In the same post, Attia demonstrates a variety of potential intersection crashes. In each one, the driver with the right of way would be killed from direct impact on the left side, and the other driver is usually running a red light or a stop sign. But those scenarios refer to intersection crashes, not T-junction crashes.

The other three main causes of accidents and automotive deaths include: 

While you can—and should—prevent avoidable actions, like the three above, it's impossible to know if other drivers will make the same responsible decisions. Simply being more aware of drivers coming toward you and always looking left can help reduce your risk of an automotive injury or death. If it feels safer and you're not going too far, try walking instead—it might help you meet your recommended number of steps.