The U.S. DOT Provides Safety Tips for Holiday Driving
As people travel throughout Georgia and are faced with shorter daylight hours and winter weather such as sleet, ice and snow, the massive number of people traveling, harsh seasonal weather, and intoxicated and fatigued drivers presents a significant risk of transportation accidents. The U.S. Department of Transportation has provided suggestions to make travel safer. Our Georgia Car Accident Attorneys urge everyone to drive carefully because we want fellow Georgians to arrive home safely. We have provided some of the recommendations made by the DOT for safe travel for your convenience:
Check Tire Tread and Pressure: While ensuring that a vehicle's tires have an adequate amount of tread and that they are inflated to the appropriate amount of pressure is always important, this aspect of vehicle maintenance is particularly important when wet or icy roads tend to compromise traction.
Buckle Up: Despite the overwhelming statistical evidence that seat belts reduce the risk of serious injury and wrongful death during motor vehicle crashes, there are still a fair number of people that do not fasten their seat belt during every excursion. Even if you are an extremely cautious driver who does not violate traffic safety laws, a securely fastened seat belt can provide valuable protection from the distracted, intoxicated or otherwise unsafe drivers.
Never Drink and Drive: While our Atlanta Car Accident Attorneys recognize that most people appreciate the danger associated with alcohol impaired driving, over a million drivers per year are arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol according to statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigations. There are more than 30,000 per year arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in Georgia alone based on data from The Century Council.
Safeguard Kid Occupants: Kids are required to be secured in an age appropriate child safety restraint system like a child car seat or a booster seat. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), kids are more susceptible to injuries in car crashes because they have less developed neck muscles, softer bones and generally more fragile bodies. Kids also have larger heads in proportion to their bodies. Given these physiological differences, the NHTSA and many other traffic safety experts recommend that kids ride in the back seat if they are age 13 or below.
Focus All Attention on the Roadway: Distracted driving can divert a motorist's hands, eyes and attention from the roadway. When a driver is traveling at freeways speeds on a wet road during the winter, multi-tasking often leads to serious collisions. When drivers use a smart phone, consume beverages and food, attend to personal grooming or otherwise try to perform secondary tasks while driving, they may drift into an adjacent lane, fail to brake for interruptions in traffic flow or ignore traffic signs or signals.
Get Plenty of Rest: While people typically are anxious to reach their destinations, drivers are advised by the DOT to get plenty of rest so that they avoid fatigued or drowsy driving. The NHTSA offers a conservative estimate that 100,000 collisions reported to police annually involve fatigued drivers. These crashes claim the lives of approximately 1,550 people, cause injury to 71,000 more and result in an estimated $12.5 billion in economic costs.
Contact The Attorneys at Montlick and Associates For Your Free Case Review
If you or a family member is injured in a collision during the holidays, our experienced Georgia Car Accident Lawyers at Montlick and Associates have been representing injury victims for over thirty years throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.