The winter holiday season is a busy time for many people. There are family gatherings, get together with friends, work parties gift shopping, and more. All of this hustle and bustle also means there are a lot more motorists on the roads, which often creates traffic headaches. There can also be bad weather thrown in, leaving the roads wet and slippery and poor visibility. This can lead to vehicle accidents, chain-reaction crashes, and multi-car pileups.
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Although it is important to follow safe driving habits all year long, the holiday season often requires extra precautions in order to stay safe. Whether you are heading across town or across the state for your holiday travels, the following tips can help minimize your risks of being injured in a vehicle crash:
- Make sure to plan ahead. When you are traveling an extended distance, it is critical to ensure your vehicle is in good working order. Make sure to check all fluids, including oil, antifreeze, and windshield fluid. Also, remember to check tire pressure. If you will be traveling to an area that gets heavy snow, you may want to consider installing snow tires. It is also a good idea to have an emergency kit in case you do break down.
- Make sure to give yourself enough time for your travels. Plan on possible traffic delays. Keep to posted speed limits, but make sure to adjust to slower speeds if the traffic flow or weather conditions warrant.
- Make sure to avoid distracted driving behaviors. Even taking your eyes off the road for mere seconds can result in a bad crash. Don’t look at your phone, fiddle with your radio or GPS, put on makeup, eat, or any other activity that can interfere with your attention to the road.
- Make sure to drive defensively. Always be aware of what other drivers around you are doing. Don’t assume what another driver will do but always be prepared for sudden movements, such as a turn or lane change.
- Make sure to stay alert and awake. With so much to do during the holiday season, you may not be getting enough sleep. This can have a dangerous impact on your driving. Driving drowsy can cause a driver to cross over yellow lines into oncoming traffic, smash into pedestrians, or other deadly accidents.
- Make sure to never drive if you are impaired. Not only is it against the law to drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, but it is also extremely dangerous. If you are going to a party or event where you will be drinking, make sure to have a designated driver or call a cab or ridesharing service.
Contact a Virginia Beach Car Accident Attorney
Unfortunately, no matter how many precautions you may take to stay safe, there are far too many other drivers on the road who fail to do the same. If you are injured in a crash accident, contact a Virginia car accident attorney to find out what legal options you may have.
The legal team from Shapiro & Appleton has been advocating for injured clients since 1985 and will do all we can to ensure you receive the best possible outcome under the circumstances of your case. If you would like to meet with one of our skilled Va. car accident attorneys to find out how we can help, call us today at 800-752-0042 or a free case evaluation.
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