Nov 19, 2021 | Accident prevention, Drinking Smart
Getting home from the bar safely is an important consideration if you plan to have a night of drinking. Drinking and driving can land you in a world of trouble legally and financially. Not to mention the pain if you were to get into a wreck and hurt someone. It’s best to have a plan before you head to the bar. Assign one friend to be the designated driver, or plan to catch a cab. You can also take public transportation which is often cheaper than a cab. And finally, if you’re in a pickle, call a friend and ask for a ride home. Nothing is worth the risk of getting behind the wheel when you’ve been drinking.
Getting Home from the Bar Safely: Avoiding a DWI
Plan a Designated Driver
One way of getting home from the bar safely is to make a plan before you even leave. If you know that you and your friends will be drinking too much to drive, assign a designated driver. A DD will need to stay sober for the entire night so that they can safely transport everybody home. You and your friends can rotate who the DD is each time you go out partying to make it fair for everybody.
Get a Cab
Another way to plan on getting home from the bar safely is to catch a cab. There are plenty of apps these days where you can hail a ride from a service like Uber or Lyft. Unless you are in a very remote town, you should be able to hail a ride from one of these services.
Public Transport
Public transport sometimes gets overlooked when getting home from the bar. But it is often cheaper than hiring a ride service or cab. Before you head out, see if there are any bus stops, trains, light rails, or subways that take you where you want to go. Make sure and check the schedules before leaving so you know when the last route of the day will happen.
Phone a Friend
Finally, if you’re attempting to get home from the bar safely and have run out of money or options, phone a friend. When you’re in a bind, you can ask a close friend or family member to come and pick you up. They’ll want to help you avoid the dangers of drinking and driving. So even if they are annoyed, they will probably respect you for not getting behind the wheel. If you are in an unfamiliar place, ask a bartender for help. They may be able to assist you.
The dangers of drinking and driving far outweigh the benefits of saving money on cab fare. It’s never worth it to risk a DWI or drunk driving accident. If you need help getting home from the bar safely, try to make a plan before you even leave the house. Assign a friend to be the DD for the evening. You can also download a ride service app on your phone or hire a cab. Public transport and simply walking home are options if you live in certain areas as well. And finally, if you’re really in a bind, call a friend or family member to pick you up. It’s always best to have a plan for getting back home before you ever leave your home in the first place. Knowing how you’ll safely get home will make your night less stressful.
Jul 30, 2021 | Accident prevention, drinking
Protecting your drink from Rohypnol, or roofies, when out with friends can save you from a dangerous situation. Rohypnol and other drugs are known as “date rape” drugs because they can be put into drinks without the drinker being aware. They often act like muscle relaxers and make the victim drowsy or uninhibited. It’s important to know how to protect your drink from being tampered with. The way that you hold your drink can be a deterrent to would-be attackers. In addition, knowing what to drink and the safest way to drink can help protect you. And finally, really tasting your drink and being cautious if anything seems off is also important. Hopefully, you’ll never need to worry about a roofie, but it’s good to be aware of the best ways to protect yourself and your friends.
Protecting Your Drink from Rohypnol or Roofies
Holding Your Drink
Protecting your drink from Rohypnol starts with one basic rule. Always keep a hand on your drink. You never want to leave your drink out in the open unattended where anybody could come along and tamper with it. It’s also a good idea to cover it up by holding it with your hand across the top. If you lose sight of your drink, it’s best to simply order a new one so that you know it’s safe to drink.
What to Drink
Protecting your drink from Rohypnol is much easier if you watch the bartender pour it yourself. Never drink from large punch bowls or open containers at a party. It’s also best not to accept drinks from other people. Even though it is a kind gesture, accepting a drink from somebody you don’t know well can be very dangerous. If somebody offers to buy you a drink, accompany them to the bar so you can watch it being poured.
How to Drink
It’s also best to practice safe drinking practices for protecting your drink from Rohypnol. Sip your drink slowly instead of chugging it. If you drink it slowly, you’ll have more of a chance to notice if something feels off about how it’s affecting you. Sharing drinks is also not a good idea. Not only is it dangerous in terms of potential roofies, but it also spreads germs.
Tasting Your Drink
Finally, one last way of protecting your drink from Rohypnol is to pay close attention to how it looks and tastes. Roofies are odorless and tasteless, but other drugs might not be. If you notice any sort of unusual flavor in your drink, stop drinking it immediately and order a fresh one. In addition, if your drink looks cloudy, it could be a warning sign that there is something in it that shouldn’t be. And finally, if the drink seems to be affecting you in a way that you’re not expecting, stop drinking it immediately. It might have been tampered with.
Protecting your drink from Rohypnol and other “date rape” drugs is an important thing to know. It’s especially important for inexperienced drinkers in large party settings like college dorms. However, somebody can tamper with your drink anywhere. Never leave your drink unattended and try to keep a hand over the top at all times. Never accept drinks from strangers or drink from communal punch bowls. Sip slowly and don’t share drinks with anybody. And finally, if something looks, smells, tastes, or feels off about your beverage, stop drinking it immediately. Paying for an extra drink is well worth it to know that you are being safe and protecting yourself from a potential roofie or other drugs.
Jan 15, 2021 | Accident prevention, Driver Safety
Winter brings slick driving conditions. Depending on where you live, snow and ice can build up on the road. In order to counteract that, many regions put down road salts to help melt ice. While this can really help melt the ice on the roads, it can negatively affect your vehicle. Learn how to manage salt on the road during winter.
How-to: Manage Salt on the Road During Winter: Protecting Your Vehicle
Why Salt?
Cities and states put salt on the road because it actually lowers the freezing point of water. 32 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which water normally freezes. However, when water is exposed to salt, the temperature needs to be lower than 32 in order to get the water to freeze. In fact, the more salt you add, the colder it needs to be for water to freeze. If you treat the roads with a layer of a salt and water mix, this helps to keep the roads from freezing over. Therefore, they are safer for vehicles to drive on.
However, if the road temperature goes below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, the salt may not be enough to keep the roads from freezing. In this case, road crews may add sand to the top of the ice to provide more traction.
Salt and Your Vehicle
While salt on the road is helpful for keeping drivers safe, it is actually not good for your vehicle. Salt can cause any exposed metal on your car to start to corrode. This can be an issue for people living on an island surrounded by salt water, or those who drive on roads with salt brine on them. The brake and fuel lines are located near the undercarriage of the car. This area is where most of the salt damage happens. Therefore, the brake and fuel lines are very susceptible to rust and corrosion.
What to Do
In order to protect against salts on the road during winter, it’s important to be proactive. Give your car a good wax job to help protect the finish. If you have any scrapes, chips, or rust spots, go ahead and have those fixed before winter weather hits. Make sure to wash your car often. Spray down your car to wash away the salt. Invest in a car wash that will clean the undercarriage every few weeks in order to clean the areas of your car most likely to be affected by salt. Also, if you get on the road behind a truck spraying salt on the roads, stay back. This will keep your car from getting sprayed with salt too.
Sep 20, 2020 | Accident prevention, Driving
Rain and slick roads can cause your car to hydroplane. This can be very scary if you are not prepared, as you have very little control over your car. Hydroplaning happens when your vehicle loses control in wet conditions. This is because your tires don’t have enough traction on the road since the water is not thoroughly pushed away from your tires. It can happen in an instant, so it is very important to know what to do if you find yourself hydroplaning.
How-to Avoid Hydroplaning: Taking Action
How to React
If you notice your car hydroplaning, stay calm. First, ease your foot off of the gas. Also, hold firmly onto the wheel, but do not slam your foot on the brakes or turn suddenly. In the event that your car starts to skid, make sure to turn your steering wheel in the same direction that you are sliding. The reason that you do this is to align your tires in the same way that your car is going in order to regain control.
Vehicles with anti-lock brakes and traction control are less likely to spin under hard braking. Brake gently with a pumping action if you don’t have anti-lock brakes. As you slow down, keep adjusting your steering wheel to be going the same direction your car is moving. Typically, you will regain control within a few seconds. However, during a scary situation, a few seconds can feel like forever. Whenever you regain control, stay alert and drive defensively. Then, you may want to find a safe spot to pull over and catch your breath.
How to Avoid It
It is possible to end up hydroplaning on any wet surface. However, there are ways to help avoid hydroplaning. First, watch your speed and drive carefully on wet roads. If you need to brake, do so with smooth, light touches. Also, turn off cruise control so that you can react more easily. Try and stay away from standing water or piddles of water. Remember that intersections can be especially dangerous since this is the most likely chance for engine oil to be on the road as well.
Prepare Your Car
If you prepare and maintain your car correctly, you will be less likely to end up hydroplaning. Your tires should have at least 2/23 inches of tread remaining. Check your tire tread regularly. When they get close to wearing out, it is time to replace them. Make sure to check your tire pressure around once a month, especially if your car does not have a built in tire pressure monitor. Properly working brakes are very important for being able to stop, so make sure your brakes are in good condition too.
Hydroplaning may be scary, you can make it through safely by staying calm and reacting appropriately. A properly maintained car will help reduce the risks of driving in wet, slippery conditions. Keep these tips in mind so that you are better prepared if you find yourself in this situation.
Aug 17, 2020 | Accident prevention, Driver Safety, Driving
Being in a hit-and-run accident can really ruin your day. No one wants to be in any kind of car accident. However, when you realize the car that hit you just kept going without stopping to exchange information, you will feel really upset. Although this can feel overwhelming, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself physically and financially. These steps are things you should think about before you leave the scene of the accident.
Hit-and-Run Accident: What to Do
What are Hit-and-Runs?
If one of the parties involved in a wreck flees the crash, the accident is considered a hit-and-run accident. This is true no matter how minor the accident is. Every state is different, but in some, there can be serious consequences for fleeing the scene of the crash. This could include criminal charges or fines. This could result in you having your license revoked or even going to jail.
The reasons a person may decide to leave the crash could be many things. For example, they may not have auto insurance. Additionally, they may be driving a stolen car, breaking other laws, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Immediate Reactions
If you are in a hit-and-run accident, do your best to stay calm. Being in a car crash can make you feel a lot of strong emotions. It is important to have a clear head since you are solely responsible for documenting the accident. Also, do not try and chase the other driver. You may be leaving valuable evidence behind if you leave the accident site. Move to a safe area off the road and check yourself and passengers to make sure medical care is not needed.
Try your best to remember as many details as possible. Try to make note of the make and model of the other car that was involved in the accident. If you get a chance to see the license plate number, try to remember it as well. Every detail you can remember will be helpful when speaking to the police or your insurance company.
Communicate and Document
When you are in a hit-and-run accident, you will want to call 911. This is especially urgent if there are any injuries. The police will come and write up an accident report. If there was anyone around, see if the witnesses will confirm what happened. This will be helpful when you are telling your story to the police.
You will also want to take photos of your car. Make sure to take pictures of every angle, including a full shot and close up pictures. Also, you’ll want to contact your insurance agent to learn how to proceed. They will walk you through the next steps and how to file a claim.
Jul 22, 2020 | Accident prevention, Driver Safety
For new drivers, highway driving can be the cause of a lot of anxiety. The faster speeds and increased traffic can make them worry about if they’ll be able to manage. However, keeping a few important things in mind can help them ease into it and get more comfortable…
Highway Driving: Pull It Off Safely
Pick a good time
Timing is very important for a person’s first highway driving experience. For instance, you won’t want to practice your driving early in the morning or late in the afternoon. This is when there’s a lot of heavy traffic as people are rushing to and from work. You’ll also want to make sure the weather is good before doing any driving.
In general, it’s good to try and practice say in the mid-afternoon, when not too many people will be driving. Ideally, this will also be on a bright and clear day without any risks of rain, snow, or fog. That way, you can clearly see and won’t feel as much pressure.
Stick to the right lane
Your lane choice is also important for when you start doing highway driving. The right lane is intended to be the general travel lane. This is where most drivers should be while on the highway. The left lane is the passing lane, allowing for other drivers to pass ahead if say there’s an accident, or if someone is going well below the speed limit.
For a new driver, it’s best they stay in the right lane. That way, they can stick to the speed limit without worrying about those behind them getting frustrated. Should they ever need to use the left lane, it should only be to pass someone. After that, they’ll want to get back into the right lane.
Keep calm and focused
The biggest thing about highway driving is staying calm and focused on the road. It’s important not to take things personally when driving out there. For example, if someone cuts them you off, don’t get upset. Instead, let it go. It could be the case that they genuinely did it by mistake!
Also, avoid unnecessary distractions while you drive. This especially includes your cell phone. Things can change very quickly on the highway, so you always need to give it your full attention.
