As summer begins, many Texans hit the road to vacation and visit with friends and family. The auto accident attorneys at the LaGarde Law Firm offer these tips to help keep you and your family safe while driving this summer.
- Check your vehicle before you go. Check the condition of your tire treads and windshield wipers (for those summer rains) before long trips. Regularly check your belts, hoses, cooling system and fluid levels, or have a professional do so.
- Share the road. Warmer weather means more pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists will be on the road. For their safety and yours, be on the lookout.
- Drive defensively. When many people travel around the same dates, the roads are full of drivers unfamiliar with heavy traffic. Those drivers may behave in unexpected ways. To make matters worse, travelers are out to have fun, and they may make bad decisions about drinking and driving. Stay alert, and watch other drivers closely.
- Avoid bad driving behavior. Distracted driving is implicated in a solid majority of all auto accidents. All drivers in your party should agree to avoid using cell phones while driving. Likewise, ready your GPS or map before you set out, or leave the navigation to a passenger. Also, it should go without saying, but wear your seatbelt at all times and always designate a driver.
- Pack an emergency kit. An exhaustive list of emergency supplies would be very long, but consider especially these items: a backup cell phone battery, a first aid kit, a jug of water, a flashlight, jumper cables and everything needed to change a tire.
The LaGarde Law Firm wishes you safe travels. If you are injured in an auto accident, we can help.