Tips for Staying Safe on The Roads with School Back in Session from Your Denver Auto Injury Attorney
The end of summer signifies the return of millions of students to schools across the United States. For many parents, this also means a time for rejoicing, as they will no longer have to fret about their children getting into mischief while they are unattended to. The increase in childcare bills will also vanish, as kids will once again be under the watchful eye of educators. Additionally, the start of school also brings with it an increase in the amount of pedestrian traffic and a boost in the activity around school zones. Even if you don’t have children to tend to, you will need to increase your driving awareness while on the road. Here are some helpful tips for staying safe behind the wheel from your Denver auto injury attorney.
Timing is Important: Keep Yourself Plenty!
Morning commutes, whether it is to work or school, can be fraught with stress and unfortunate delays. Back-to-school time means an increased amount of traffic on the road, as fellow parents and educators return to the roads during the morning time, leading to an increase in traffic delays and stressful headaches for any motorist who finds themself caught in a jam. Planning ahead will provide you with a much-needed amount of leeway to avoid unfortunate morning situations. If you are one of the lucky individuals who has to commute to work or needs to drop their children off during the busiest traffic time of the day, be sure to give yourself ample time to make the commute bearable. Planning ahead for unforeseen traffic situations can dramatically reduce the amount of stress both you and your children experience during the morning commute. The worst start to your day can be a traffic jam that stresses out both you and your kids, which can set the tone for the rest of the day.Leaving a few minutes early will provide you with a necessary cushion to avoid having to speed and drive unsafely in order to remain on time. While you may feel the need and obligation to arrive on time, it is certainly not worth putting yourself, your loved ones, and other motorists at risk by engaging in risky driving behaviors. With school back in session, there will be an increase in the amount of pedestrians walking near roadways, especially younger individuals who are less keen to be aware of their surroundings than adults. If there was ever a time to practice defensive driving habits, the back-to-school period is certainly it.
Educate Your Children on the Dangers of the Road
Sending your children back to school tends to involve ample amount of planning, preparation, and education on the part of parents as a way to ensure their children feel ready to head back to the classroom. As a part of this planning, parents should seriously consider educating their children on the potential dangers of being close to roadways. If you children walk to school, this should be especially important to parents, as your children will be much more vulnerable to the possibility of dealing with motor vehicles. If your children are on foot to school, map out their specific route with them as a way to show them the most hazardous portions of their commute. Locate and make them aware of the parts of their journey that are the most dangerous, including crossings as well as parts where drivers are likely to speed up or miss stop signs. As a part of this safety plan, always remind your children to remain vigilant and to stay off of their phones and other electronic devices, as this will make them much more prone to being hit by cars they can’t see.
Minimize Distractions
The rise of smartphones and other electronic devices has increased the amount of distracted drivers on our roadways. It should come as no surprise that distracted driving is one of the leading causes of accidents in recent times, and it stresses the need for motorists to remain alert and practicing safe driving habits. Even if you aren’t on your phone, there are almost certainly plenty of other drivers on the road nearby who are, which only highlights the importance of practicing defensive driving behaviors.With school back in session, a distracted driver can lead to a tragic situation, one that could have easily been avoided had the driver remained aware and vigilant to their surroundings. Young children are less likely to be aware of their surroundings and may inadvertently enter into traffic without warning, making it absolutely crucial that drivers remain focused on the road instead of staring into their smartphone.Although you may need to be connected to your mobile device for work reasons, any kind of activity on your smartphone can be avoided in favor of remaining safe. If you are prone to answering your phone or texting while driving, eliminate the urge to pick up your phone by placing the device out of reach while you are on the road. If you absolutely must answer a call while you are driving, set up a hands free device to make the practice a much safer endeavor. In addition to unsafe phone usage, keep other distracted behaviors to an absolute minimum, such as eating or playing with your car’s radio. Always remember that the safety of you and potential pedestrians takes precedence to any other activity. It is important to do everything you possibly can to avoid an accident, but sometimes things happen that are out of your control. In these cases, you will want someone to advocate for you every step of the legal process. Because of this, it is important to seek out the services of a qualified auto injury attorney that will fight for your rights every step of the way. Mark A. Simon is someone who will fight tirelessly for your rights and ensure that you receive the highest possible settlement. He will begin the investigation process immediately, ensuring you receive the best representation possible. Contact him at 303-321-4878 to discuss your legal options during a free consultation.