Driving At Night

Drivers’ vision is worse at night, so their ability to respond to road hazards is very limited. According to the National Safety Council, “traffic death rates are three times greater at night than during the day.”Since 90 percent of a driver’s reaction is dependent on their vision, it is clear that this would be the case. Older drivers are particularly susceptible to this. After sunset is also a time when others on the road practice unsafe driving, such as when they drive drowsy or while intoxicated.  This makes driving at night unsafe not only because of limitations on ourselves, but because of others.  Always be wary of other vehicles on the road.

The Department of Motor Vehicles offers some tips for driving more safely at night:

1)      If you feel sleepy, pull over and rest for a while.  Driving while drowsy is dangerous.  It is best to stay safe on the road and maintain your alertness.  For tips on knowing if you are too sleepy to drive and avoiding the dangers of drowsy driving, see our post on drowsy driving from August 3.

2)      Keep your windshield clean, both inside and out.  A dirty windshield can cause glare and hamper your ability to see through it, which can make driving at night even more dangerous.  Stay safe and keep your windshield clean.

3)      Do not use high beams when you see oncoming traffic or when close behind another vehicle.  Your high beam lights can be too bright and can hinder other drivers’ vision.

4)      Drive slower and maintain a greater distance from the car in front of you.  Since vision is impaired at night, it is more difficult to react to slowing or stopping cars.  Be safe and keep your distance.

5)      Use your headlights.  This is the most basic step drivers must take when driving at night.  Headlights not only allow you to see the road better at night, but they allow others to see your vehicle in the darkness.

6)      Be sure your lights function properly.  Perform regular checks on your lights to be certain.

7)      Be able to stop within the area that is illuminated by your headlights.  This goes in line with driving slower.  It is very important that you follow this precaution because if you cannot stop within that distance, you will almost certainly hit any road hazards in front of you.

8)      Keep your lights clean.  In order for light to shine through the headlight and tail light covers, they must remain clean and clear.  You don’t have to give them a sparkling shine every time you drive, but make sure that they are able to light up when you turn them on.

9)      If you can’t see because of an oncoming car’s high beams, watch the right edge of the road and use it as a guide to stay on the road.  This technique can help you keep driving when you are blinded by that other inconsiderate driver.

10)    When you have an emergency with your vehicle, pull off the road as far as possible and turn on your emergency lights.  This will allow other drivers to see you as best as possible.

These are just some suggestions for driving at night.  Be sure to follow them when you get behind the wheel after sundown.  They can keep you safe from harm at a dangerous time for driving. As always, if you are ever injured in an accident do not hesitate to call the Injury Helpline for a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer.  Get the help you deserve.  Call the Injury Helpline at 1-866-892-9204.

Be Prepared for the Rainy Season

It may not seem so relevant this season for most of us – it’s summer, so it’s sunny outside – but autumn will be here before you know it and the drier summer is all the more reason to exercise caution when it actually does rain.  The first rain is always the most dangerous for drivers.  When there is no rain for a long time oil and pollution build up on the road so that when there is rain, the slick grime buried in the asphalt rises to the surface, providing for much more dangerous driving conditions.  When the rainy season arrives, be ready for it.

Here are some tips for driving in the rain:

• Be more cautious.  Since it is raining, visibility and your car’s ability to take turns are hindered.  Be extra careful.

• Drive slower than usual.  This may go without saying, but it is the most fundamental safety tip for driving in the rain.

• Brake early and lightly.  If you step on the brakes too hard, you will likely hydroplane and lose control of your car.  When you need to stop, release your gas pedal and tap the brake until you have stopped.

• When you see large puddles do not drive through them, if possible.  Try to go around them.  They could hide large potholes that could damage your wheels or knock out your suspension.

• Turn on your headlights.  As stated in the first point, our visibility decreases, so turn on your headlights in order to better see where you are going.  Headlights also allow your car itself to easier be seen, as light shining through a downpour signals to others that your car is there.  Be careful, though, to not use your high beams, which is discussed in the next point.

• Do not use your high beams.  The light from a car’s high beams reflects off of the rainwater pouring in front of you and can actually decrease visibility, not increase it.

• If needed, get new tires.  When your tire tread wears low, your car will hydroplane much easier. Hydroplaning occurs when a layer of water builds between your tires and the road.  The tread in tires allows the water to pass through them  as they roll over the street and if there isn’t enough of a gap in the surface of the tires, they won’t be able to grip the road.  If the tires can’t grip the road, they slide.  To see some tips on how to know if your tires are rain-worthy, see our earlier post, “Pinching Pennies for Tire Safety,” from August 2.

Please, for the safety of everyone, drive carefully when the rain comes.  Handling a vehicle in the rain is difficult and drivers need to adhere to much more stringent safety measures.  Don’t forget to be careful when it rains or you could learn your lesson the hard way.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident due to the rain, don’t forget to call the InjuryHelpline.  Our professionals will connect you to an injury lawyer who can give you the legal advice you need.  Call us today at 1-866-892-9204.

Airbag Safety

Like seat belts, airbags are an important car safety feature that is necessary in the event of an accident. Although air bags provide life-saving benefits for the vast majority of people, there are situations in which air bag deployment can have adverse effects, such as when passengers are unbelted. Front air bags do not eliminate the need for seat belts and are not designed to offer protection in rollovers, rear, or side impacts. Maximum air bag effectiveness depends upon seat belts, which help keep you in place if a collision occurs. Serious injuries are less common, but severe or fatal injuries can occur to vehicle occupants very near an airbag or in direct contact when it deploys. These injuries may be sustained by drivers who are slumped over the steering wheel, unrestrained or improperly restrained occupants who slide forward in the seat during pre-crash braking, and properly belted drivers sitting close to the steering wheel. You can drastically reduce the risk of injury from an air bag simply by buckling your seat belt and keeping about 10 inches or more between your breastbone and the air bag.

Children can be killed or seriously injured by an air bag, so you should always put children age 12 and under in the rear seat. You should never use a rear-facing child seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with a front passenger air bag unless the air bag is off. Because the force of airbag deployment has the potential to injure a child or small-frame adult, many vehicles now come with an airbag shut-off switch. This kill switch is most commonly found in later pick-up truck, and sports car models.

For your safety, and the safety of your loved ones, ALWAYS buckle your seat belt. The safety features equipped in your vehicle work together, and in the event of an accident, a buckled seat belt is necessary for airbag safety. Remember, if you are ever involved in an accident do not hesitate to call the Injury Helpline for a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer. We want to make sure you are safe and well taken care of!

Drowsy Driving Similar To Drunk Driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that every year more than 100,000 car accidents occur because of driver fatigue. More than 1,550 fatalities and 71,000 injuries result in these accidents. Drowsy driving is just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. Driving when you are sleepy decreases your awareness, decreases your judgment and vision, lowers your reaction time, and decreases your performance. Signs that you may be drowsy and that you should stop driving are daydreaming, yawning, heavy eyelids, drifting from your lane, hitting a rumble strip, difficulty focusing and trouble keeping your head up. Many people think that opening up the window or turning up the radio will help them stay awake but according to the Washington State Patrol these are not effective techniques to improve alertness.

Safety Tips

• Get a sufficient amount of sleep — between 7-9 hours at night
• Don’t drive between 1am and 6am
• Travel with a companion, someone who you can converse with and can share the driving load
• Schedule breaks every 100 miles or every 2 hours
• Avoid alcohol and medications
• If you’re sleepy, STOP DRIVING. REST. DRINK A CAFFEINATED BEVERAGE.

If you are ever involved in a drowsy driver related accident, call the InjuryHelpline for a free consultation from a personal injury lawyer. Don’t hesitate to get the help you deserve!

Pinching Pennies For Tire Safety

Your tires support your steering, braking, acceleration, as well as absorb bumps in the road. Excessivewear on the tread of your tires will cause reduced grip in adverse conditions. Proper tire maintenance is one of the easiest ways to avoid an accident. You don’t need to be an auto mechanic to give your tires a visual inspection. Here is a way to check the tread on your tires using only a penny:

• First pinch the penny from the base so that the words “In God We Trust” are showing at the top.
• Then place the top of Lincoln’s head into the groove of the tire. Try to check as many spots as possible, as your tires may have uneven wear.
• If any part of Lincoln’s head is covered your tires are in good shape. However if his head is not covered or any parts of “In God We Trust” is showing, your tires are too worn and you should get them changed as soon as possible.

While using safety precautions such as this will reduce your risk of being involved in a crash, there is always the possibility of being in an accident, even if it is not your fault. If this does happen, and you or a loved one is hurt, contact a personal injury lawyer immediately. They will give you the legal advice you need.

Motorcycle Accident Safety

We have all heard stories about motorcycle riders who have been saved by wearing a helmet and other riders who have died while crashing at very low speeds while not wearing one. Obviously motorcycle riders are at a much higher risk of injury during a crash than car drivers, but just how high is this risk?

Here are a couple things to think about before hopping on your motorcycle. These stats are from the National Center for Statistics and Analysis 2006 Safety Facts. You can check out the complete report here.

• Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured
• 37 percent of all motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were speeding, compared to 23 percent for passenger car drivers
• Forty-one percent of motorcycle operators who died in single-vehicle crashes in 2006 had BAC levels of .08 g/dL or higher
• Helmets are estimated to be 37-percent effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcyclists

The first thing that you can do to protect yourself in case of an accident is wear a helmet. A crash may not even be your fault, but is it really worth risking your life not wearing one?  An easy way to avoid accidents all together is to think ahead and arrange to have someone drive you home if you plan on drinking. Have a friend or a taxi take you to pick up your motorcycle in the morning. Another easy way to prevent an accident is to always ride the speed limit. While it may be tempting to zip by passenger cars, it only takes a split second for something to go terribly wrong. As you can see from the statistics, it is not worth the risk.

Keep these tips in mind and hopefully you will be able to limit the damage in an accident or preferably avoid an accident all together. In case of a crash, you should immediately contact a personal injury attorney at the InjuryHelpline. They can give you expert advice to help you through the legal procedure.

Driver Safety Tip

According to the National Safety Council, 28 percent of traffic crashes occur when people talk on cell phones or send text messages while driving. Since the Hands-Free law in California took effect on July 1, 2008, California Highway Patrol officers have issued more than 244,000 tickets throughout the state. Within the past two years more than 850 injuries and 16 fatalities have occurred in California because of cell phone use while driving. Even two years after the law has been announced, people still ignore the dangers of cell phone use behind the wheel. A report from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute announced that when the driver is texting on a cell phone, the risk of a vehicle crash may be up to 23 times higher. The fact is there are no studies that mention cell phone use improves ones driving ability. Setting your cell phone aside while driving is just as easy as buckling your seatbelt. So for your safety, and the safety of everyone else on the road, please do not use your cell phone while driving. And if you are ever the victim of another person’s cell phone related auto accident, call the InjuryHelpline and get connected with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

Reasons You Always Want to Wear Your Seatbelt

Every safe driver knows that buckling your seatbelt is one of the first things you do when you get in the car. It is a quick and simple safety step that could potentially save your life. In an article for ajc.com, Tom Hazlett, the regional sales director of ClickNDrive GA, gave three good reasons why you should never be without a seatbelt in an automobile:

• First, seatbelts keep the driver and the passengers in position to be protected by airbags. Airbags are a supplement, not a substitute for seatbelts.
• Second, crash victims are safer when they stay within the vehicle. Ejection or being tossed around during a crash increases the likelihood of death or serious injury.
• And third, even buckled riders are endangered by unbuckled passengers, who may become missiles within the passenger compartment.

It takes a negligible amount of time to buckle a seatbelt. However, the consequences for not buckling could last a life time. Set an example for your children and buckle your seatbelt every time you get in a car. And if you are ever involved in a car accident, call the InjuryHelpline for a free consultation with a personal injury attorney right away.

Summer Driving Safety

You would think that with icy roads, poor visibility, and often hazardous weather conditions, winter would be the most dangerous season for driving. That’s what 83 percent of Americans thought too in a national poll. A recent study by the University of Minnesota found however that summer, not winter is the most unsafe time to be on the road. The combination of people driving faster, consuming more alcohol, and three summer holidays (Memorial Day, 4^th of July, and Labor Day) make it the most accident-prone season of the year.

To avoid becoming one of these unfortunate drivers involved in a summer wreck, make sure you have enough rest before you begin driving and take short breaks regularly while on long trips. Fatigued drivers are the cause of many summer accidents. Another easy way to avoid a careless accident is to have a passenger control the air conditioning, program your GPS, or make phone calls to avoid unnecessary distractions.

If you do happen to be involved in an accident, make sure you know your legal rights by consulting with a personal injury attorney. The Auto Accident InjuryHelpLine will help you find a lawyer to make this process go as smoothly as possible.

Child Seat Safety

September 25^th is National Seat Check Saturday! Although that is still a while away, it is always important to be aware of child seat safety. One tip is to be cautious of old or used safety seats. Safety seats only provide adequate protection for about 6 years. After that time, the quality and durability of the materials in the seat may have deteriorated. Another reason to be wary of used safety seats is that the seat may have been involved in an accident. Providing your child with a new safety seat is always a good way of ensuring their protection. Not only will you be sure that it is undamaged, but the materials will be newer and safer than older seat models. Be sure to read the instruction booklet on how to properly install your safety seat as well. For more information on child seat safety, and how to guarantee it is correctly installed, visit http://www.seatcheck.org/. And remember, if you or your child is ever involved in a car accident, contact the Injury Helpline and get connected to a personal injury lawyer.