Category: Car Accidents

St. Patrick’s Day is quickly approaching, and we want you to stay safe! This festive holiday is known for its green beer and festivities, but it can turn deadly if someone takes the wheel after drinking. Here are four ways you can stay safe and avoid an accident on St. Patrick’s Day.

1. Serve as the Designated Driver

   A designated driver is a person who chooses not to drink so he or she can drive friends or family members home who may not be fit to drive. Buzzed or drunk driving often causes delayed reaction times, poor decision-making skills, and failure to obey road laws. Being a designated driver can save lives, as you are not allowing others to drive while intoxicated. Ask everyone in the vehicle to wear a seat belt, as well.

2. Opt for Highways Versus Back Roads

   Back roads are notorious for twists, turns, and two-lane roads. Even if you are the designated driver on St. Patrick’s Day and are focusing on the road, another drunk driver could be driving on a rural road and hit your vehicle. If possible, drive on four-lane highways, as these are normally brightly lit and straight roads. Always drive the speed limit.

3. Avoid Traveling After Midnight

   If possible, wrap up the evening well before midnight to avoid driving with those who are heading home late from restaurants or bars. The darker and later it gets adds unnecessary risk to your travels. Ditch the dark completely by enjoying St. Patrick’s Day festivities for lunch!

4. Don’t Drive if You Feel Fatigued

   Did you know that fatigue is one of the major culprits of car accidents any day of the year? Fatigue can cause you to lose focus on the road and drift into a semi-awake state. When you’re half asleep, you cannot make sharp decisions that result in timely reactions. Leave your St. Patrick’s Day get together before you feel fatigue setting in.

Every driver has a duty to drive in a safe manner that will protect both himself and others. When a driver causes a car accident due to negligent actions, people can get severely injured. During a lawsuit, your car accident lawyer will have to establish negligence by proving these four elements.

1. The Driver Had a Duty of Care

   The term “duty of care” is often used in negligence lawsuits, but what does it mean? Duty of care is defined as a set standard placed on people to abide by certain rules to keep others safe. So, the duty of care in a car accident case simply means that the at-fault driver had a responsibility to follow the law.

2. The Driver Breached His Duty of Care

   When the driver breaches his duty of care, the law has been broken and an accident has occurred. For example, if the negligent driver ran a red light and hit you, he broke the law that requires drivers to stop at a red light.

3. The Driver’s Negligence Caused Injuries

   There must be a linked cause and effect in negligence cases to prove that injuries were sustained. Using the example above, you now have a broken arm due to the red-light runner hitting your vehicle. However, if you broke your arm a few days prior, that would not be a linked cause and effect.

4. The Victim Suffered Injuries

   If you’ve been injured in a car accident, your car accident lawyer can request that you are compensated for your medical bills. This is why it’s so important to go to a doctor immediately following a car accident! We can use these legitimate documents to prove your injuries and request compensation.

School is out, and summer is in. Your teenager will be home for roughly 40 more hours a week than usual. Does she have her driver’s license? If so, she likely wants to roam the roads and find summer adventures! Before handing her the keys, make sure you review road safety tips to help her drive alert and aware. Discover the details:

1. Eliminate Distracted Driving

   Distracted driving encompasses anything that averts your eyes from the road, your hands from the steering wheel, or your brain from what is going on around you. From putting on makeup to using a cellphone, take extra steps to eliminate distracted driving and stay safe on the road.

2. Practice Defensive Driving

   Defensive driving reduces your risk of causing a car accident. Examples of defensive driving include paying attention to your surroundings, giving the vehicle ahead of you plenty of space, driving the speed limit, and always thinking about safety first. It’s important to note that defensive driving is not aggressive driving.

3. Plan Ahead

   If you’re planning a road trip with friends, it’s important to do research about the best routes to take and avoid driving in the dark. Nighttime driving is difficult for even the most experienced drivers, and it’s best to settle in for the night before the sun sets completely. Also, you’ll want to consider what roads to take that coincide with your driving skills (highways, interstates, backroads, etc.).

4. Drive When You’re Fully Rested

   Did you know that roughly 15% of accidents are caused by driver fatigue? If your teen is awake for roughly 20 hours then operates a car, her body has the same reaction time as a driver with a blood alcohol content of .08%. No matter how short or long the drive is, make sure your teen knows to drive when she’s fully rested.