Safe Driving Tips for Driving Safely Throughout This Holiday Season

Safe driving tips

The holiday season is a time for celebration and sharing time with the family and friends we care about. Families also use this time to remember the loved ones that they tragically lost over the years. This year, the staff at Parker Waichman hopes you and your family have a safe and enjoyable holiday season. We wanted to provide a list of holiday season driving tips to help keep you and those you love safe.

#1 – Plan Ahead – If you are planning to travel during the holiday season, make sure that the motor vehicle that you intend to use is in tip-top shape for your trip. This is particularly important when driving in winter conditions. It is a very good idea to check the weather reports to make sure the roads are safe to drive on. Also, it is a good idea to bring a windshield scraper to make sure that you are able to adequately clean your windows so that you have excellent visibility should it snow during your travels.

#2 – Stay Fresh and Remain Alert – The most important action to take before driving is ensuring that the driver is well-rested. According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, in 2017, more than 90,000 drowsy-driving-accident caused over 50,000 injuries and approximately 800 fatalities. Plan to have at least one other driver ready to take over the wheel should you or your driver become sleepy. When driving long distances, be sure to make regular stops to avoid driving drowsy.

#3 – Observe the Speed Limits – It is so important that drivers obey the speed limits while driving. To make your travels safe and stress-free, leave early and give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination. Also, maintain a safe distance between your car and the vehicles ahead of you. According to an Automotive Fleet Magazine article, for every 1% increase in speed, a driver’s risk of being involved in an accident increases by 2%, the risks of serious injury rises by 3%, and the possibility of being in a fatal auto accident increases by 4%.

#4 – Be Patient – Whether you are driving or riding in a motor vehicle, it is crucial to remain calm. Traffic levels increase substantially during holiday weekends. When there is a lot of traffic, patience runs thin, leading to danger and reckless driving, which can lead to a severe motor vehicle accident. It is always best to let impatient drivers pass you and continue to drive defensively.

#5 – Never Drive While Intoxicated – This is the season for having fun, but every year people lose their lives due to intoxicated driving. Driving while drunk or drugged is a preventable situation, and we urge you always have a designated driver should you choose to enjoy the holidays consuming intoxicants.

#6 – Avoid Distracted Driving – Distraction.gov states that reading or sending one text message takes a driver’s eyes off of the road for an average of five seconds. At 55 MPH, that is the time it takes to drive an entire football field. Distracted Driving causes 1,000s of severe motor vehicle crashes each year. If you must read and/or respond to a text message, pull over to the side of the road before using your cell phone.

At Parker Waichman LLP, we care about your safety during this holiday season and the seasons to come. We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and a very Happy New Year. Please drive responsibly and prevent a tragedy this holiday season and the many to come. If you or a loved one have been harmed in a motor vehicle accident, contact Parker Waichman LLP by calling 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529) and speak with our experienced accident attorneys about your injury accident and the compensation to which you may be entitled.