Nov 3, 2025 | Car Accidents, Traffic Ticket
Sometimes, obtaining a lawyer for a traffic ticket means you don’t have to appear in court. Sometimes, even with a lawyer, you do have to appear. Courtroom impressions can go a long way to help or hinder your case. However, there are steps you can take to improve your chances in front of a judge.
Courtroom Impressions: What You Should (& Shouldn’t) Do
What You Should Do:
Be Respectful
Being respectful is a simple way to give good first courtroom impressions. Before it is your turn, you should pay attention to other cases. It’s not a good sign if the judge is bothered by your behavior before it’s your turn. Remain quiet and patient while waiting for your case to be heard.
Turn Off Your Phone
Some courthouses do not even allow phones past security. For those that do, make sure your phone is off before entering the courtroom. You can ensure good courtroom impressions by not distracting the judge or others with a ringing cellphone during court proceedings.
Dress to Impress
For some it may be obvious to wear proper clothes to court. However, some might not think about it. In addition to the “look good, feel good” mantra that many abide by, dressing in a business casual manner shows you care about the courtroom impressions you make.
What You Shouldn’t Do:
Argue with an Officer
If you have an issue with the behavior of the officer who gave the ticket, do not go in looking for an argument. Arguing can be disrespectful to the officer, the judge, and the court in general. In addition to being respectful, leave the arguing to another day. Courtroom impressions make all the difference when hoping for a reduction.
Ask to Leave
When going to court, you should be prepared to be there for a while. Asking how long it will take or when you can leave will give the judge and other bad courtroom impressions of you. This will make it harder for a dismissal or lessened ticket.
Chew Gum
Sounds simple, but chewing gum can be a giant distraction in the courtroom. For some it might be a nervous habit. Leave the gum out of it and earn the positive courtroom impressions you deserve.
Sep 8, 2025 | Accident prevention, Car Accidents
Rollover accidents can be very dangerous and are incredibly scary. Every year, thousands of accidents occur with rollovers. And many of them cause serious injuries. It’s important to know the most common reasons for these accidents so that you can avoid them. Often high speed is a factor. Another common reason is driver error – often because drivers are distracted. Certain vehicles can be more prone to rollovers because of their design. And finally, tire malfunction can also be a cause of a rollover accident. You cannot guarantee safety on the road, but you can make yourself safer by being aware of how rollovers happen.
Rollover Accidents: How they Happen and How to Prevent them from Happening to You
High Speed
High speed is very often a factor in rollover accidents. When cars are traveling fast and collide, it’s more likely that the force of the speed will make the car flip. Rollovers can also happen is when a car takes a turn going too quickly. Even swerving to avoid an animal can cause a vehicle to roll over if your car is traveling fast enough. To avoid rollovers, always travel the posted speed limit. And always slow way down before taking a sharp curve to keep all four wheels on the ground.
Driver Error
Another source of rollover accidents is driver error. Drivers being distracted is so incredibly dangerous. If you’re driving, you should not be looking at your phone. Or let your mind wander. Rollover accidents can also happen when drivers are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Often, these cause drivers to make sudden movements or even drive the wrong way on roads. This can lead to very bad accidents, including rollovers.
Electronic Malfunction
Some cars are more prone to rollover accidents because they are more top-heavy than others. Tall SUV’s in particular can be more likely to roll over. Therefore, most cars are equipped with ESC or Electronic Stability Control. This is an electronic sensor that helps prevent the car from rolling over. However, when it malfunctions, a rollover accident is more likely. Getting your vehicle serviced frequently should keep the electronics in good shape.
Tire Malfunction
Finally, tire malfunctions can often cause rollover accidents. Tires often blow out when drivers are traveling at a high rate of speed. The pressure on the tire from the car moving so quickly can cause it to fail. Therefore, tire blowouts often happen on highways. When this happens it can be difficult for your car to stay upright since it’s suddenly off-balance with one tire missing. While it’s impossible to ensure that your tires won’t ever fail, it’s important to pick high-quality tires for your car. You should always monitor the tire pressure, tread, and have them serviced and rotated frequently.
Rollover accidents are very scary and can be deadly. They are often caused in one way or another because a car is traveling at a high rate of speed. Make sure that you always drive the speed limit and slow down as you approach sharp turns. In addition, drivers must never drive distractedly as this can cause many different accidents, including rollovers. Making sure that your car’s ESC feature is working properly can keep you safer on the road as well. And finally, tire blowouts can cause rollover as well, so always make sure your tires are in good shape before hitting the road. Hopefully, by being aware of what can cause rollover accidents, you can stay safer on the road and avoid ever experiencing one.
Sep 7, 2025 | Car Accidents, Driver Safety
If you would like to learn more, check out this video about the risks of letting someone borrow your car.
We have all had it happen before. A friend or family member could be without a car for any given reason, and they ask to use yours. Maybe theirs is in the shop for maintenance or even for repairs after an accident. They could have flown into town to visit you. Perhaps their kid needed to borrow theirs so they are without one. There are plenty of reasons that someone may ask you to borrow their car. What you need to decide on is if you are willing to let someone borrow your car.
How-to: Decide if Someone Should Borrow Your Car: Weighing the Risks
Driving History
Before you let anyone borrow your car, you should consider what kind of a driver they are. Do you know they are a terrible, reckless driver? You may want to think twice about letting them drive your car. They will be unfamiliar with your car, so putting a bad driver in a vehicle they are unfamiliar with could be a total disaster. Also, consider things such as if your friend or a family member has a history of having a DUI. Anything that could mean a bad driving record should be a red flag to you.
Insurance
You will also want to consider your car insurance before you let someone borrow your car. This could come into play if the person driving your car is involved in an accident. Car insurance follows the vehicle, not the driver. When you allow a friend, family member, or babysitter to borrow your vehicle, your insurance takes primary coverage. For example, the person if your car is not at fault, the driver who is at fault will have to use their insurance to cover the damage. However, if the person who is using your car is at fault, your insurance would likely cover the damage to the other driver’s car. In addition, your liability coverage would likely pay for any injuries or damage to the other driver as well.
Unless you have collision coverage, your insurance would not cover damage to your own car. Plus, if you do end up repairing damages using your collision coverage, you will probably have to pay your deductible. This would be the case even though you weren’t driving at the time of the accident. Keep this in mind when you consider whether or not you want to loan out your car.
Jun 8, 2025 | Car Accidents
The aftermath of a car crash is often more difficult to deal with than the crash itself. From insurance claims, to fixing a vehicle, and taking care of your body. Whiplash, back pain, and concussions are some of the most common injuries and ailments following a car crash. And while the method for dealing with these is often not much, you might benefit greatly from visiting a chiropractor. Chiropractic care following an accident often goes unconsidered, but it could be one of your greatest allies. You’re trying to find a means of getting your body back to 100%, and you ultimately cannot do that on your own.
Chiropractic Care For Crash Recovery
What can a chiropractor treat?
A chiropractor deals with spinal misalignment. Ultimately any head and neck injury is rooted in your spine so they manipulate it from the stem of the injury. They do not deal with bones, bruises, or anything of the like— they just manipulate and help your body to decompress after an accident or injury. Whiplash is one of the most common injuries, as we’ve said, and whiles can heal much quicker with the intervention of a trained professional.
What are the benefits of chiropractic care?
Well, for starters, chiropractic care is non-invasive. Meaning no needles, no incisions— it is a completely natural means of combatting neck and back pain. Chiropractors go through tons of training to gain an expertise in bones, muscles, and tissues. This means that they’re familiar with the way the body works and how to get it back to that 100% we talked about. Also, there are tons of ways to go about visiting a chiropractor. There are formal settings, or quick ones where you pay a monthly fee and drop in whenever you want. Because of this range in setting, chiropractic care is easily accessible, and obtainably cheap.
Let’s talk whiplash…
Whiplash is cause by sudden, unexpected movement in your neck. This can occur in any car accident, but especially one where you’re rear-ended. A chiropractor can help with this because it has essentially jammed up your spine and likely tweaked your neck pretty badly. So, they’ll use hands-on techniques and handheld instruments to help correct it over time. It’s non-invasive and could likely prevent you from having to have surgery in the long run.
How long do I have to go?
It ultimately depends on the severity. But, many people go to a chiropractor as a means of preventative care. While visiting during your injury is helpful to a large degree, visiting the chiropractor once a month for maintenance anyways— can work wonders in keeping your body and your bones where they should be. We all slump, sit at desks, and put a lot of stress on our bodies every day. Regular chiropractic care can be a great preventative measure.
May 11, 2025 | Car Accidents
Getting older comes with changes. As the years pass by, we face changes. Some good, some bad. But, through all that time— we learn a little bit more. One of the toughest things about getting older is staying safe while driving. Our vision typically gets worse, reflexes start to waver, and in some ways, we don’t have the same abilities that we used to. Staying safe behind the wheel is always a concern, it has been since we started driving.
We’ve always worked hard to be good drivers, and good participants in our roadway systems. But, with age, the implications of this get to be a little bit more than they were. So we’re here to help you, senior drivers. Whether you need to hire a driver, call in your kids, or you’re doing just fine— there are a few steps to take before you get behind the wheel as a senior driver.
Staying Safe Behind the Wheel: Senior Drivers
Timely Hearing and Vision Tests
The first step to staying safe behind the wheel, is making sure you’re equip to be there in the first place. Taking part in annual or semi-annual hearing and vision tests are the best way for you to make the decision. If either of the two are getting progressively worse from year to year, it is best to start finding ways to limit your driving. If your eyesight and hearing are still tip top— that’s great! But, it still wouldn’t hurt to have a plan in place for when/if the day comes. Whether that be delivery grocers, hiring someone to do your shopping and errands for you— whatever it is, making a plan for that time is a responsible and smart way to be prepared.
If It’s Nasty Out, Stay In
Driving when the weather is nasty, always comes with a higher risk. So, try to avoid those times if you can. No one wants to get stuck out in a bad storm or very heavy rain. If you can avoid it, do so. While this article is poignant to senior drivers, this is a fact anyone should adhere to. Whether you believe yourself to be an amazing driver, or not, you cannot account for the actions of other people. So, if you can skip it— skip it.
Do Not Drive Under the Influence
Prescription medications can have some pretty nasty side effects. From hallucinations, to blackouts, to headaches, stomach aces, suicidal thoughts… the list is, quite literally, endless. Any one of these side effects could be detrimental if you are behind the wheel of a car. So, the best choice you can make is to not drive and take medications at the same time. If you are still under the influence, ask for help or hold off on running your errands to ensure yours, and everyone else’s, safety.
Dec 15, 2024 | Accident prevention, Car Accidents
Driving can already be stressful enough dealing with other drivers. However, you’ll also have to keep an eye out for wild animals too. Animal accidents can be quite scary, as well as costly. That’s why it’s important to know how you can avoid them in the first place…
Animal Accidents: How To Avoid Them
Learn the area
The first step in avoiding animal accidents is to learn what animals are in the area. This is especially important for when you travel. For example, maybe you like to do some fall travelling. However, fall can be a time where there’s more deer around, potentially resulting in more of them on the roads. Knowing this can help you stay alert when you do your driving.
As for your own nearby areas, try to learn the times and areas where animals appear to be the most active. Usually, many are active from dawn and dusk, but many animals are becoming more active at night too.
Not to mention, roads with woods on both sides tend to be popular crossings for animals. In turn, these areas are at a higher risk for animal accidents. Keep these in mind so you can spot some areas which might be popular with animals next time you drive.
Avoid distractions
Distracted driving already increases the risk of you getting into an accident with other drivers. So, it makes sense that it also increases the chances of you getting into animal accidents too. If your focus isn’t on the road, then you’ll be setting yourself for danger.
Many times, animals can quickly run out onto the road unannounced. That gives you just a few seconds to react. However, if you’re distracted, then you’ll end up with very little to no time to react. Therefore, increasing your chance of animal accidents. That’s why it’s best to avoid any distractions as best you can.
Watch your speed
Often times, the speed limit will be lower than usual in areas with heavy animal activity. It can be easy to brush these restrictions off and pay them no mind. However, that’s just setting yourself up for a potential animal accidents.
These restricted speed limits are put in place for good reason. Going slower will give you more time to react to any animals on the road. It’s better to temporarily go slower rather than get into an potentially-avoidable accident.
