As many of us begin a short work week, The Brad Hendricks Law Firm urges those taking to the highway to drive safely during what can be one of the most dangerous driving seasons of the year. According to the National Safety Council, the 2011 Thanksgiving Day holiday period will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23, 2011, and will end at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 27, 2011. During that time, the National Safety Council estimates, approximately 434 driving fatalities will occur, while roughly 43,400 injuries warranting medical care will be reported.
As many Americans take to the road, our firm hopes that you and your loved ones will be safe. The following are some suggestions to maximize your safety while minimizing your chances of injuries in the event you are in an accident:
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Wear a seatbelt at all times. There is no question that seatbelts save lives. Whether you are moving your vehicle across the street to make room for your cousin’s RV camper, going a few blocks for some last minute Thanksgiving feast necessities, or driving across the country, always wear your seatbelt. If you have young children, they should also be fastened securely, and any car seats should be properly installed. According to seatcheck.org, motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of children, either because they are improperly buckled into their seats, or because booster seats are not obtained for children who need them.
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Don’t drink and drive. While it goes without saying, operating a motor vehicle while inebriated increases your risk of accidents. Please arrange for a sober driver if you plan to consume any alcoholic beverages, or simply stay where you are.
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Don’t text and drive. No shorthand message to friends or family is worth the risk of accidents that arise when those behind the wheel of a car attempt to send text messages while driving.
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Make sure your car is up to the trip. Before you set out on the road, make sure your car is up to the task, to the extent possible. Visually inspect your car to make sure all lights, including headlights, brake lights, and turn signals are fully operational before you leave home. Some experts recommend that you travel with your lights on, even in daylight, to maximize your visibility. Fill your gas tank, check your tire pressure, and top off your fluid levels, including both your engine coolant and window cleaner reservoirs. Don’t forget to check your brake fluid levels, while you are at it. We recommend that you check your mode of transportation before the day you will be traveling.
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Plan your route, but have a backup plan. As many motorists take to the highways, delays and detours are a distinct possibility. Even with a global positioning system (GPS), it is very easy to get lost in unfamiliar territory, which may also contribute to accidents on the roadway. You can use NAVTEQ to set your route with a FREE, real-time traffic report for many routes.
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Have a navigator. There is no question that driving while looking at a map or, in these modern days of “apps,” a phone is not a great idea. While having a navigator is ideal, there are services available for those who may be traveling alone this holiday season, or with passengers who are too young to assist with navigation. Caroline Lewis, an attorney with The Brad Hendricks Law Firm, swears by MapQuest 4 Mobile’s voice-guided, turn-by-turn, GPS navigation App for iPhone, which is FREE, when navigating unknown territory alone.
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Sleep well. Get a good night’s sleep before you travel. If you feel drowsy while driving, do yourself, and others a favor and pull over for a short nap and caffeinated reinforcement. According to drowsydriving.org, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conservatively estimates that 100,000 police-reported crashes are the direct result of driver fatigue each year, which in turn results in approximately 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries, and $12.5 billion in monetary losses.
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Schedule regular stops. Even if you do get a good night’s sleep, driving can be monotonous and tiring, as anyone who has driving through Kansas’s wheat fields alone I-70 can tell you. To avoid the risk of drowsiness and driving fatigue, schedule stops along your trip, whether in terms of a specific number of hours or miles. Whether you decide that you will stop every two hours or 200 miles, take that time to stop your vehicle, get out of the car, stretch your legs, take a bathroom break, re-caffeinate. Example your level of alertness honestly, and if you feel sleepy, take a short nap before continuing.
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Plan for kid entertainment. A driver of a vehicle cannot entertain passengers, and that is particularly true of young children whose minds may be able to understand that your family is “not there yet,” but now how long it may be until you are. If your vehicle is not equipped with a DVD player, you may consider obtaining one with headphones for your trip. For those brave enough, turning over your iPhone may do in a pinch. You may also want to make sure that you have plenty of snacks and hydration for the trip, even if you do plan to stop frequently. For a child who wants water “now,” the 198 miles to the next scheduled stop may become excruciating if you have a child with nothing more to think about than the green Bug Juice.
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Don’t rush it. Everyone wants to be on time for Thanksgiving dinner. Even those who may be hosting the festivities want for all guests to arrive on time. No one, however, wants to receive a call from the police to learn that a family member or friend has been hurt because the idea of arriving on time became paramount to arrive safely, albeit late. If you will be driving this holiday season, don’t rush it. Allow extra time for traveling. Leave a couple of hours early to allow time for unforeseen delays. Your loved ones, more likely than not, will not complain that you arrived early – as long as you arrive safely. If possible, you may even want to leave on Tuesday and return on Saturday, to avoid the heaviest travelled days surrounding the holiday weekend.
Thanksgiving is a time for families, football, food, and fun, for most of us. For some, the holidays end in tragedy as the result of motor vehicle accidents. Although there are no guarantees, it is the fervent hope of The Brad Hendricks Law Firm that those on the road this weekend will not only hit the road with safety in mind, but that all who travel will arrive at their destinations safe. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you from The Brad Hendricks Law Firm.
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