Dec 8, 2024 | Car Accidents, Driver Safety
No one likes to think about what happens when things go wrong while on the road. However, it always helps to be prepared just in case of emergencies. That’s why it’s important to know how to handle a car breakdown. That way, you can keep yourself safe even when on the busier roads…
Car Breakdown Management: Roadside Trouble
Get off the road
The first thing you’ll want to do when handling a car breakdown is to get off the road as soon as you can. You should turn on your hazards lights to let other drivers know something is wrong. That way, they’ll know they should give you some space for you to get off the road. You’ll want to keep your hazards on until your car is either fixed or towed.
Ideally, you’ll want to pull over on the right shoulder of the road in the event of a car breakdown. This will give you the most space away from the road. If that’s not an option, try and get into the right lane and look for a place to pull off if you can. Only go onto the left shoulder if you have no other options. If you’re in a residential area, then you can try to pull into a parking spot or lot.
Make sure you’re safe
Once you’ve pulled over, your priority should be making sure you’re safe. Make sure that the coast is clear before you get out of your car, especially when on a busy highway. It might be a safer idea to stay in your car instead, for example if the weather is poor. However, if you see any fire or smell smoke during a car breakdown, you should get out of your car quickly.
Once you’re safe, you can give your car a look over. You can try to see if there are any obvious signs of problems. Popping the hood is handy not only for checking your engine, but also as a universal signal to others of a car breakdown.
Call for help
Once the situation is under control, it’s time to call for help. Much like with other car problems, you won’t want to handle a car breakdown by yourself. If you have a roadside assistance provider, then you’ll want to give them a call. If that’s not an option, then a local towing company or even 911 can help you with getting yourself and your car to safety.
Aug 11, 2024 | Accident prevention, Driver Safety
Riding electric scooters has become very popular in recent years. However, they can become a hazard on the road if riders are not practicing safe driving skills. It’s important to remember that you’re still on a road with other traffic moving quickly. Injuries can still happen and be quite dangerous. Always wear a helmet to protect your head in case of a crash. In addition, never ride while under the influence of alcohol. Stay focused while riding and be a good defensive driver. By keeping all of these tips in mind, you can keep yourself safer on the road on an electric scooter. You can also help protect other drivers and pedestrians around you.
Safety Tips for Riding Electric Scooters: Keep Yourself and Others Safe
Wear a Helmet
While it may not seem like the most fashionable accessory, a helmet is very important when riding electric scooters. Studies have shown that almost half of all injuries from scooters are head injuries. Concussions and brain damage can easily happen if you’re in an accident and don’t have a helmet. Make sure that your helmet properly fits your head as well and fasten it every time you ride.
Only Ride Sober
Another important safety tip for riding electric scooters is to never ride while under the influence of alcohol. You can even be charged with a DUI or DWI if you get caught driving drunk. It may seem like a good solution to scooter home from the bar when you’re too drunk to drive a car. But the truth is that if you’re sharing the road with other cars or pedestrians, you can be in as much danger on a scooter. You’re more likely to make sudden erratic movements when intoxicated, which can lead to accidents.
Stay Focused While Riding
It’s important to always stay focused while riding electric scooters. Never listen to music on headphones while driving one. It’s important to be able to hear the road noises around you. That way, you’ll be able to hear if a car is trying to signal you with a horn. Never ride with headphones on. In addition, it’s never safe to drive a scooter while texting on your phone. In fact, it’s best not to even be distracted by phone calls while riding.
Be a Good Defensive Driver
Finally, riding electric scooters relies on your being a good defensive driver. Just like driving a car, driving a scooter means that you need to anticipate the moves of other drivers on the road. Don’t assume that cars know how to navigate around you or know exactly where you should be riding. In addition, never dart on in front of cars. Making sudden movements can be more likely to result in an accident. And of course, always watch for traffic and pedestrians before turning onto a street.
Riding electric scooters can be a fun and economical way to get around your city. In addition, they might be better for the environment. However, it’s important to remember that you still are driving on a public road with other cars and pedestrians. You still need to follow the rules of the road as well as practice good defensive driving skills. Make sure you aren’t intoxicated or distracted while driving. And finally, always wear a helmet to protect your head in case of a collision. By being aware of safety tips for electric scooters you’ll keep yourself, pedestrians, and cars around you safer on the road.
Jun 16, 2024 | Car Accidents, Driver Safety
Encountering road rage while driving can be incredibly scary and dangerous. If it happens to you, the most important thing is to stay calm. Do not engage with the other driver because it will only encourage them to act more irrationally. Put distance between yourself and the driver that is driving erratically. Ignore any hand gestures they give you, and try not to make eye contact. Never honk at another driver unless it’s for defensive purposes. And finally, if they follow you, call the police and drive someplace safe. Hopefully, you’ll never encounter road rage, but if you do these tips can keep you safe.
Encountering Road Rage: How to Protect Yourself from Dangerous Drivers
Put Distance Between You
First things first when you encountering road rage: put distance between you. You should try and get as far away from that driver as possible. Even if it means going a different route or taking longer to get where you’re going. You never know what somebody is going to do if they’re having road rage. They may act erratically or even try to cause an accident. People have even been known to get out of their cars and attack other drivers. Being on time is less important than being safe. So make your priority getting out of their way and to a safe place.
Ignore Gestures
Another thing to keep in mind when you encountering road rage driver is to ignore any gestures they make at you. They may try to honk or stick their middle finger at you. They might even roll down windows and yell or scream at other drivers. If you respond to it you’ll just be encouraging their behavior. They will be more likely to get even angrier and act more erratically.
Never Honk
If you are encountering road rage, it’s important never to honk at them. In fact, it’s really best not to honk at drivers at all unless it’s for defensive purposes. For example, if a car is about to merge right into you and doesn’t seem to see you, it’s best to honk to let them know you’re there. This is especially important when you’re riding in next to semi-trailers with low visibility. You can also give a honk if some time has passed and the car in front of you doesn’t seem to realize the light is green. However, honking out of anger is almost never productive and can cause road rage.
If They Follow You
If encountering road rage and the driverEncountering road rage while driving can be incredibly scary and dangerous. If it happens to you, the most important thing is to stay… seems to be following you, call the police. It’s also important not to go home. Instead, drive directly to a police station or other safe space that is public and well-lit. You never know what somebody else has in mind. If the driver with road rage is truly acting irrationally, they could be very dangerous. It’s best to alert the authorities and just get someplace safe.
Encountering road rage can be very scary when you encounter it while driving. Other drivers on the road should be courteous and polite, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. If you see a driver who is acting rashly or showing anger signs, try to put as much distance as possible between you and them. Ignore any rude gestures they make or anything they say to you. You should try to avoid honking at other drivers except for defensive situations. And finally, if somebody seems to be following you, don’t go home. Instead, call the cops and get someplace safe. Hopefully, you won’t have to ever deal with another driver in the throes of serious road rage, but if you do the most important thing to do is remain calm and get to safety!
Dec 29, 2023 | Driver Safety, Motorcycle
When you’re new to motorcycle riding, you might want to find a community to enjoy your hobby with. Group riding is a popular pastime for many, especially as you’re getting used to riding regularly. However, there are a few simple rules that you might want to follow in terms of group etiquette…
Group Riding: Make It Easier
Meet ahead of time
Before doing any kind of group riding, it helps to meet up ahead of time. Riding with just one other person can become confusing if you aren’t on the same page. As you’d expect, the more people you add in the group, the more of a problem this becomes.
Having everyone meet up beforehand will ensure you all know what’s going on. That way, you’ll know where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. This is also a good time to coordinate any stops, to ensure that no one ends up lost or out of the loop.
Watch your group size
It’s also important to watch your group size when doing group riding. Having too large of a group can end up being a safety hazard. What you’ll find is it’ll be hard for everyone to keep up and have enough space, increasing the chances of someone either splitting from the group or getting into an accident.
In general, it’s good to max out your groups at seven riders. Anything more than that, and you should consider making subgroups instead. Be sure that the most experienced riders lead and sweep the group from the back, to help keep everyone else together.
Stagger your formation
Group riding is all about making sure everyone has enough space. Bunching up will make it harder for everyone to react safely to changes on the road. In turn, you could end up in a pile-up due to everyone being too close together.
A staggered formation can help make sure this sort of situation is avoided. The leader will ride on the left side of the lane, and the second rider will ride a few motorcycle lengths behind on the right side. Repeat this pattern for the rest of the group, and go into single file if the road is curvy or conditions get dangerous.
Dec 10, 2023 | Car Accidents, Driver Safety
Being in an auto accident can be really scary. You can never be fully prepared for an accident, no matter the circumstance. However, if you are aware of what to do after an accident, things may feel a little less overwhelming. Learn what you should be doing after being in a car accident.
Being in an Auto Accident: Keep These Things in Mind
Check for injuries
The first thing to do after being in an auto accident is to check for injuries on yourself and your passengers. Once you have determined if you are able to move or not, try to find a safe space outside of the vehicle. However, if you think that staying in the car is safer due to the environment where the accident happened, then stay in the vehicle.
Call 911
If you are able to move to safety after being in an auto accident, do so, and also call 911. While you are waiting for emergency services to arrive, make sure to turn off your vehicle’s engine and turn on your hazard lights.
Once the police and other emergency services arrive, make sure any people injured are addressed first.Next, have the officer file a police report. They will get information from you and any other driver that was involved in the accident. Some states require that an official report be made by local law enforcement of any accidents.
Keep calm
Emotions will be high after being in an auto accident, so try to stay calm. The police will determine fault, not you or the other drivers. Keep any conversations cordial and make sure to get insurance information from all the other drivers involved.
Take Photos and Videos
After being in an auto accident, it may be a good idea to take several pictures at the site of the accident. You can use your smartphone or any other camera you may have. Make sure to take pictures of all vehicles involved from multiple angles and also pictures of the location where it happened. These pictures may prove to be very helpful when filing the accident with your insurance provider.
Log Everything
Log everything you remember happening and contact your insurance provider after being in an accident. A dash cam is incredibly helpful. If you do not have one, make sure to note down all the events leading up to the accident. Try to remember every detail you can as this may help later with claiming the accident with your insurance provider. After you have noted down all the details you can remember, call your insurance provider and report the accident.
Nov 12, 2023 | Car Accidents, Driver Safety
Having to drive in the rain isn’t an easy task for most drivers out there. For truck drivers, stormy roads can be especially dangerous. As such, it’s important to know what sort of hazards to watch for, and how to best handle them…
How-to Navigate Stormy Roads: What To Avoid
Remember the wind
Understandably, most people are going to be concerned about the rain when driving on stormy roads. However, you can’t forget about the high wind which usually comes with it. This wind can be a danger in a multitude of ways, especially when you’re on a haul.
For starters, this wind will make the rain hit harder, making it especially hard to see. The wind can also start pulling on your truck, causing it to start swerving. In fact, if the wind is severe enough, then it may even cause your truck to flip if you aren’t careful! As such, you need to be mindful of how bad the wind is, and how much you can control your truck.
Watch for high water
Stormy roads also tend to experience a lot of flooding. Now, most drivers in standard cars won’t be able to handle these floods. Some may think that trucks can tackle high water easier, due to being taller and more powerful. In reality, high water is still as dangerous to truck drivers as it is to anyone else on the road.
With high water, it’s very easy for your truck to lose traction and effectively get stuck. Plus, you may not be able to tell just how high it is from your cab. Many times, high water will also hide debris on the road which could end up damaging your truck. In general, it’s best to play it safe and find an alternate route.
Keep track of the weather
The best way to handle stormy roads is by avoiding them altogether. This means you should be keeping track of what the weather conditions will be like. Be sure you check what the weather and roads will look like for the route you plan to go on. If the weather seems to be poor, then try and find a backup route just in case.
These days, you can also keep up with the weather in real time. Practically all smart phones come with weather apps which can track your location and provide you with real-time updates. That way, if the weather suddenly starts to turn, you can react properly and find either another route or a place to wait it out.
