How to Stay Safe on the Roads This Holiday Season
On Monday, December 10th, a major wreck on I-10 at Dairy Ashford involving several 18-wheelers led to a four-lane closure for over 30 minutes during morning rush hour.
While there were no injuries reported in this particular incident, big rig accidents can easily lead to multiple injuries and fatalities, especially during the holiday season when more cars are out on the roads. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) , there were 4,464 lives lost in crashes involving big trucks or buses in 2016.
The holiday season is one of the most joyful times of the year. There’s family, friends, food, and celebrations all season long. But a day of happiness can quickly turn into a moment of tragedy if you or a loved one has been involved in a truck or car accident.
Your Houston truck accident attorneys at Lapeze & Johns want to ensure you have a safe holiday season. Consider the following information if you will be traveling during the next couple of weeks.
Tips for Traveling Out of Town
As you travel to visit family throughout the state – or beyond – it’s important to keep the following safety tips in mind:
- Service your car before the trip. Check your tires, change your oil, check your heating/cooling systems, and make sure that your vehicle can handle the trip.<
- Prepare for an emergency. Winter weather, even in Texas, can mean heavy traffic and dangerous road conditions. Make sure to prepare an emergency kit with blankets, a flashlight, a first aid kit, extra clothes, and some food.
- Leave some distance between your car and the vehicle in front . You might get tempted to rush to your destination but this is undeniably dangerous. Take your time and leave a distance of at least 3 seconds between you and the car in front of you. In bad weather conditions, double that to 6 seconds.
- Never drink and drive. Whether it’s visiting a relative out of town or going to a get together in town, never drink and drive.
- Keep right unless overtaking . When driving on highways in Texas, slower vehicles will want to stay in the right lane and pass on the left. Make sure to follow these rules to keep everyone safe on the road.
- Do not cut off other drivers. Never cut off another driver – especially a semi-truck – as this can lead them to smashing into your rear end or veering off the road and injuring some other party.
- Be extra careful when driving at night. Make sure to drive slower at night and leave a bigger gap between you and the car in front of you in comparison to driving during the day.
- Make sure everyone is buckled in. Every passenger in your vehicle should have their seat belt on and small children should be seated in an appropriate child seat.
- Avoid distracted driving. It is extremely important to pay attention while driving on the freeway beside a large truck. Avoid using cell phones, tablets, GPS, eating, or getting distracted by other passengers.
If you are injured in a car or truck accident while traveling this holiday season, do not hesitate to contact Lapeze & Johns for a free consultation .
Our Houston accident attorneys are ready to fight and get you the compensation you and your family deserve.
