HOLIDAY ROAD SAFETY TIPS
Fall is officially upon us, which means that the holiday season is about to begin. From Halloween until the New Year, you can bet that many Americans will be traveling to celebrate the holidays with family and friends. If you plan on traveling to celebrate with family and friends, you’ll need to prepare your car for colder weather travel and for emergencies. Here are some holiday road safety tips from RHINO Lawyers to ensure that your holidays are fun-filled and safe.
Prepare Your Vehicle
Though we have some of the warmest winters. There are a few things you can do to reduce the risk of getting into a crash or needing roadside assistance while driving this holiday season. Here are some useful tips to help get you prepared:
- Make sure your car is ready. Basic maintenance is essential to maintaining the life of your vehicle. Just follow the maintenance schedule found in your owner’s manual. Because being stranded on the side of the road is not fun in any temperature.
- Check your tires. Your tires lose air faster at colder temperatures. While this is not as much of a concern for Florida residents, your tires do wear down. Check your tires’ tread and tire pressure often to make sure they don’t need rotating or replaced. If you aren’t sure about your tires, a tire shop attendant will check them for you.
- Be prepared for anything. Carry emergency supplies with you when you travel. Things like water, nutrition bars, a first-aid kit, and other emergency supplies are beneficial in case you are involved in a crash or are left stuck by a weather occurrence that causes an extensive delay.
- Don’t Drive Drowsy or Under the Influence. Driving drowsy or under the influence can affect your ability to drive, don’t get behind the wheel as you’re more at risk to cause a crash. Instead, use an option like UBER or Lyft to get you home safely.
Bad Winter Weather Driving Safety Tips
Whether you do see snow flurries this winter or you travel to a snowy destination here are a few things to make your travels safer:
- Check the weather forecast before traveling. Being caught in a blizzard by surprise or a thunderstorm is no way to spend your holiday.
- Let someone know where you’re going. Make sure to give them addresses to where you plan on staying and information about the other people that you are traveling with. Additionally, check in with your loved ones regularly so they don’t worry.
- Before heading out defrost your car. Take the time to clear the snow off your entire car and double-check that you can see out of all the windows.
- Reduce driving speed and increase your following distance. When road conditions this will ensure you have enough time to come to a safe stop.
What to Do After an Accident
Even, after all, we do to prevent an accident, it still can happen. If you find yourself in this position RHINO Lawyers recommend doing the following:
- After the accident, immediately put your emergency lights on to warn other drivers. If possible, move your car to a safe place.
- If you are not alone, check your passengers for injuries, and if needed call emergency numbers. Call the police if another vehicle has been involved or if you need further assistance.
- Exchange required insurance information with the other driver. Do not discuss the accident with the other person; wait until the police arrive.
CONTACT TAMPA AUTO ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS
If you receive a ticket or you’re in an accident this holiday season contact RHINO Lawyers. We can help and guide you through a system that has been molded by law enforcement, judges, and lawyers for decades. Having won cases for our clients in similar circumstances, our personal injury team knows what it takes to fight on your behalf.
Let the Tampa traffic ticket attorneys at RHINO Lawyers answer your questions and review the facts of your case with a Free Consultation. Get started by completing the “Free Instant Case Evaluation” or by calling us any time, day or night, at 844.329.3491.
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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Help keep your children safe if they’re trick-or-treating this year with these great tips from Safe Kids Worldwide:
- A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds of trick-or-treating.
- Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts.
- If your older children are going trick-or-treating alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home.
- Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.
- Because pedestrian injuries are the most common injuries to children on Halloween, remind trick-or-treaters:
- Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.
- Remember reflective tape for costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
- Carry a cellphone for quick communication.
- Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
- If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.
- Never cut across yards or use alleys.
- Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks (as recognized by local custom). Never cross between parked cars or driveways.
- Don’t assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing trick-or-treaters. Just because one car stops, doesn’t mean others will!
- Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.
Have a safe and happy Halloween.
CONTACT RHINO LAWYERS
Injured or Arrested? Our mission is to form a lasting partnership with every client. Our passion is the people we help and the lives that we help change. Don’t become just another case.
Lastly, let the personal injury team at RHINO Lawyers answer your questions and review the facts of your case with a Free Consultation. Get started by completing the “Free Instant Case Evaluation” or by calling us any time, day or night, at 844.329.3491.
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THE HEAT IS ON – SAFETY TIP
First of all, according to the National Weather Service, heat is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States, and it results in hundreds of deaths each year. Surprisingly, excessive heat claims more lives on average each year than other seemingly more sinister weather events. Like, floods, lightning, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined. So, here is a safety tip to help keep your kids and pets safe as the temperature rises.
Safety Tip: Parked Cars, and Warm Temps – a Bad Mix
To begin with, leaving children or animals alone in parked vehicles is never a good idea, but it’s especially dangerous on warm and hot days. Thus, dozens of children die each year after being left unattended (knowingly or not) in vehicles. Yet, sometimes even it happens when they are left for just a short amount of time. Consequently, the temperature inside a vehicle – even on a warm day that’s just 80 degrees – can rise to levels well over 120 degrees in a matter of minutes, leading to heatstroke once the child’s body can not cool itself down. Furthermore, this applies to animals too. So, remember if it is unsafe for humans, then it is unsafe for animals too.
Save a life. Please call 911 immediately if you see a child or an animal left unattended in a vehicle.
CONTACT RHINO Lawyers
Injured or Arrested? Our mission is to form a lasting partnership with every client. Our passion is the people we help and the lives that we help change. So, don’t become just another case.
Lastly, let the personal injury team at RHINO Lawyers answer your questions and review the facts of your case with a Free Consultation. Get started by completing the “Free Instant Case Evaluation” or by calling us any time, day or night, at 844.329.3491.
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KIDS & CAR ACCIDENTS
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 150 kids between ages 0 and 19 are treated every hour in emergency departments for injuries sustained in car accidents and more children ages 5 to 19 die from crash-related injuries than from any other type of injury.
KIDS & CAR SAFETY TIPS
One of the best ways to help keep your kids safe in vehicles is to know and understand the appropriate age, height & weight limits for car seats, booster seats, and seat belt use:
- Birth up to Age 2 – For the best possible protection, infants and children should be buckled in a rear-facing car seat, in the back seat. Keep the seat rear-facing until age 2 or when they reach the upper weight or height limit of their seat.
- Age 2 up to at least Age 5 – When children outgrow their rear-facing seat they should be buckled in a forward-facing car seat, in the back seat. Use car seats until at least age 5 or when they reach the upper weight/height limit of their seat.
- Age 5 up until seat belts fit properly – When children outgrow their forward-facing seat, use a belt-positioning booster seat until seat belts fit. Seat belts fit when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and not the stomach. Also, the shoulder belt will lay across the chest and not the neck.
- Back Seat is Safest. Buckle all children aged 12 and under in the back seat. Airbags can kill young children riding in the front seat. Never place a rear-facing car seat in front of an airbag. Buckle children in the middle of the back seat when possible, because it is the safest spot in the vehicle.
CONTACT
RHINO Lawyers know that car accidents can happen at any time. After a car accident, you may not know what to do or who to call. Don’t struggle through the process alone. Our personal injury team is here to help you with any legal needs you might have regarding injuries from a car accident.
Let the Tampa auto accident attorneys at RHINO Lawyers answer your questions and review the facts of your case with a Free Consultation. Get started by completing the “Free Instant Case Evaluation” or by calling us any time, day or night, at 844.329.3491.
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WHAT TO DO AFTER A BIKE ACCIDENT
No matter your level of experience or how careful you ride – a bicycle accident can happen. Unfortunately, these accidents can result in serious injury. It is important to know what to do if you are involved in a bike-car accident.
Being prepared will help you during this tragic event. According to Consumer Reports, there are 10 steps you should do after a bike accident. Where all are important, I believe these steps are essential for your safety and recovery:
- Get to safety. This will prevent more damage from occurring.
- Contact the police. It is important to make sure there is a police report.
- Seek medical attention. Often, injuries are not immediately apparent. Don’t wait, seek medical attention at your local emergency room or by seeing your family physician right away.
- Get your bike checked. Take your bike to a shop to have a professional assess any damages.
- Get Legal Help. Most importantly, consult with an auto accident lawyer.
PROPER SAFETY COULD PREVENT A BIKE ACCIDENT
Bicycle safety is important for both the cyclist and motorist. FLSMV (Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles) states motorists must pay special attention when driving around cyclists. Here are some safety tips for everyone to follow:
Motorists
- Drivers MUST give bicyclists a minimum of three feet of clearance when driving alongside or passing them. It’s the law.
- When turning, yield to any bicyclist in the bike lane and make your turn behind the cyclist.
- Avoid using high beam headlights when you see a bicyclist approaching.
- Before opening a car door, check for bicyclists who may be approaching from behind.
Cyclist
- Always wear a properly fitted helmet and securely fasten the strap.
- Be seen. Wear bright colors when riding or wear something that reflects light (reflective shoes, reflective tape, etc.)
- Pay attention. Do not wear headphones so that you can hear the traffic and pedestrians around you. Never text and ride.
- Ride in the same direction as traffic and stay as far to the right as possible. Use bike lanes whenever you can.
- Obey all traffic laws, including signs, signals, and lane markings, when riding on the roadway. If crossing a roadway upon or along a crosswalk, abide by pedestrian crossing guidelines.
- If riding between the hours of sunset and sunrise, Florida Law requires that the front of the bike be equipped with a headlight lamp which exhibits a white light visible for 500 feet, and the rear of the bike equipped with a taillight lamp and reflector visible for 600 feet.
CONTACT
If you are a victim of a bike-car accident don’t struggle through the process alone. Our personal injury team is here to help you with any legal needs you might have regarding injuries from a bike-car accident.
Let the Tampa auto accident attorneys at RHINO Lawyers answer your questions and review the facts of your case with a Free Consultation. Get started by completing the “Free Instant Case Evaluation” or by calling us any time, day or night, at 844.329.3491.
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