We recently celebrated Halloween and Thanksgiving, which leaves us waiting for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Holidays and festivities come with a lot of traveling as every family wants to unite and celebrate together and probably recover the lost time.
Well, our intelligent guess is, you too are travelling to recap and catch up with your loved ones this season. But did you know, you aren’t alone? Millions of others will be driving as well.
This means heavier traffic on the road networks and consequently increased risk of car accidents. As such, holiday seasons account for the highest percentage of car crashes every year.
Tips for Staying Safe This Holiday Season
You are responsible for upholding road sanity and minimize car crashes this festive season. In this season, let it not be solely about having fun but also ensuring the safety and wellbeing of other motorists and road users.
In our brief blog, we highlight some few fundamental tips you should put in mind as you drive around this holiday season:
1. Minimize Distractions and the Use of Cell Phones When Driving
As mentioned above, you must keep yourself, your passengers, and other road users safe this holiday season. Distractions, especially cell phones, are a leading cause of car crashes, with or without the holiday seasons. Keep your mobile phone while driving this holiday as a safeguard to ensure you drive and arrive safely.
If you must receive a call, use the loudspeaker, but even better, pull over and clear with the call before proceeding. Alternatively, you can allow one of your passengers to handle the phone as you drive.
Instead of struggling with the temptation of using your phone while driving, you can put it in the back seat together with all other electronics that can distract you.
The console is another great place to keep all your electronics as you drive. Remember also to put your phone in silent mode to avoid getting distracted, especially if there’s no one else to handle it for you.
Believe it or not, eating while driving is another major distraction that is popular for causing road accidents. Be sure to eat before assuming your journey, and if you must snack or drink along the way, then pull over.
Distractions may prompt you to take your eyes or mind off the road. In other cases, you may also take your hands off the wheel. It doesn’t matter for how long you are distracted, as heavier traffic this holiday season can easily result in a crash in such cases. The moment you get distracted, your reaction time is compromised, and the results: an imminent collision.
2. Stay Attentive and Awake
Some accidents are a direct result of fatigue among drivers. You’re human, and your body tends to suffer fatigue from time to time, primarily when you don’t rest enough. As you plan to drive this holiday season, ensure that you stay awake all through the journey.
Be sure to rest enough before the journey and strive to beat drowsiness. For instance, you can:
- Take regular breaks from driving and avoid overspeeding. Surpassing the speed limit makes you vulnerable to a crash.
- If you experience fatigue, pull over to a safe spot and try keeping your eyelids as open as possible. Resume only when you feel reenergized, attentive, and fully awake.
3. Don’t Drink and Drive
Driving Under Influence (DUI) and Driving While Impaired (DWI) are the number one cause for road carnages. These avoidable causes claim thousands of lives every year. Well, this being a holiday season means heavily drinking and partying with your friends and colleagues. So, what happens when it is time to leave the party and get back home to your loved ones?
If you must drink, then don’t drive. Driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances puts everyone’s lives at risk, from yours to your passengers’ and that of other road users.
In case you get drunk but still need to get home, have a designated driver or use common rideshare apps like Lyft and Uber.
This way, you can have fun and party without risking your life or that of other road users
What Do You Do in Case of a Tragedy?
Staying safe doesn’t mean you’re 100% secure from car accidents. Remember, you aren’t the only motorist on the road. There are thousands of other people driving, which puts you at risk regardless of your efforts to observe road safety.
If you ever find yourself in the middle of a car accident tragedy resulting from another party, fear not. Zimmet & Zimmet has your back like yesterday. Our team of highly qualified personal injury lawyers takes pride in ensuring that you are served justice, swift and hot.
For more than four decades in Florida, we have leveraged expertise, professionalism, empathy coupled with years of experience to guarantee all our clients satisfactory results.
For more information or inquiries, feel free to Contact Us today and let’s book you a free consultation.
