Drive Safely This Summer
Brian O Sutter
Personal Injury
There’s no way to prepare for every single unexpected situation on the road. You can’t predict where lightning will strike, nor can you account for the actions of every other driver on the road. What you can do, however, is take as many reasonable preparations as you can, to ensure that you drive as safely and defensively as you can. This is no guarantee of 100% safety, of course, but it does put you in a position to have more time to re-act, and more options to choose from when the unexpected does occur. Let’s take a look at some the more important safety measures you should be taking when you take to Florida’s roads during another great summer season.Follow The Weather Reports
Florida, being in the unique geographical position it is in the USA, gets directly hit by more hurricanes than any other state in the country. The very nature of a hurricane makes it dangerous and unpredictable, which is why staying informed about developing weather conditions is essential. Once hurricane warnings start being made, take heed and consider not driving if you have the option.
If you’re already on the road, use the radio or consult—when safe to do so—weather reports on your phone in order to see where the storm is, and take the appropriate measures to avoid it. Ignoring weather reports when a devastating storm is moving through the region is a fast way to sustain an easily avoidable injury, and/or ex-pensive automobile damage.
Respect The Heat
If you drive around Florida with children or pets, this is crucial. A car without any air conditioning running in it is essentially an oven on wheels. Keeping the window down while in motion, or allowing the vents to blow air in can mitigate some of this. But once the car stops, and you get out of the car, you’re faced with a problem. If you’re leaving your car for just a quick errand, and you have pets or children in the vehicle, you may be tempted to simply leave them in the vehicle while you conduct your business.
Children heat up faster than adults in a small, hot, confined space. So do animals. Florida, in fact is the #2 state in America for child-deaths related to heatstroke, usually from being left in a car, with only Texas having a high-er death rate. By state law, no parent is allowed to leave a child unattended in a car for more than 15 minutes. However, no parent is allowed to leave a child alone in a car at all if the motor is still running, or if conditions, such as a heat wave, would endanger the child or pet.
Keep Vehicles In Shape
Because of the perennial great weather Florida experiences throughout the year, it’s often easy for people in this state to forget about tune ups, checking tire pressure, or many other maintenance routines normally associ-ated with preparing for a change of season. But Florida cars need routine checks to make sure they’re in good shape just as much as a car in New England facing the prospect of another winter, or getting rid of the snow tires for a summer on the road.
Take the time to schedule some regular maintenance and tune up for your vehicle. Ensure that tire pressure is where it should be, and that the tires themselves are still in good condition. Optimal performance of a vehicle can often mean the difference between a smooth drive, the responsiveness required to avoid an emergency situation, and, in some cases, simply avoiding a preventable accident, like a tire blowing out due to neglect.
Drive Defensively
Perhaps the most important driving habit that a person on the road can cultivate is taking a cautious, defensive attitude to being on the road. It’s tempting to relax while a favorite song is playing, and even have some fun and sing along with family, but for every moment of inattentiveness, there is a moment of risk and vulnerability. Don’t take out your phone and go through your messages while you are driving the vehicle and it is in motion. Don’t ignore basic driving safety techniques like checking your blind spot before switching lanes.
Most important of all, don’t get into an altered state of consciousness before getting behind the wheel. Even if your home is just a mile or two away, and you want to go back to your own bed and sleep off the alcohol you’ve consumed at a party, it is not safe, even for one or two miles, to get in your vehicle and drive.
If you observe these road and driving safety techniques, you will find yourself in a much safer, better position this summer. And if you find yourself in an auto accident where someone else is at fault, seek legal counsel immediately.