Posted on Monday, July 2nd, 2018 at 5:51 pm
Your favorite song is blaring on the radio, your passengers are singing along, and a younger child is shouting your name because his older sibling is irritating him. In a few minutes, you hear your stomach growling, and you realize that you haven’t had a bite to eat since early this morning before leaving the house. Then your cell phone rings, it’s Mom calling to check on how much longer it will take to get to her house because they are ready to start the grill. Sadly, the distraction in your vehicle causes you to miss the turn signal on the vehicle in front of you and your plow right into the back of a huge SUV. The next thing you hear are the sirens of first responders racing to the scene of your accident.
While we hope you never are in a distracted driving accident, how often is this condition in your vehicle, especially when the family is packed into the car for a Fourth of July vacation trip? There are so many things going on at one time that it is easy to become distracted. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Independence Day ranks highest in the number of average daily crash fatalities. Distracted drivers will cause many of those accidents.
Distracted Driving on the Fourth of July
Drivers must be attentive to the road and other drivers, especially during the 4th of July holiday. Our family’s safety is in our hands. We want to protect our families, and that begins with ensuring we get our families from Point A to Point B without a car accident. We all plan our vacation with the anticipation of returning home safely, sadly, in some cases, that’s not the outcome. However, if you are knowledgeable about road conditions during the Independence Day holiday weekend, you can reduce the chance that your family will become a statistic.
Some suggestions to help you stay safe on Sacramento roads this Fourth of July holiday weekend include:
- Place your phone on a hands-free cradle or put it away.
- If a notification goes off on your phone, don’t be tempted! It can wait!
- Don’t text and drive.
- Save your social media posts until you arrive at your destination. If it is something that you want to capture, get another passenger in the car to post for you.
- Program the address of your desired location in the GPS before you get on the highway. Don’t touch your phone while driving.
- Beauty needs should be applied at home in the bathroom, not in your car with passengers.
- Fix and eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner, at home depending on your departure time. Refrain from the urge of eating in the car while driving.
- If there is a song that you would like to listen to, elect another person in the car to be the DJ. Don’t touch that dial.
- If you feel drowsy, pull over, and let someone else drive or take a nap if needed.
Millions of cars are on the highway during the Independence Day holiday weekend. A driver may merge into traffic, change lanes, stop suddenly, or make a turn with little to no warning. Your full attention is required on the road at all times to avoid a collision with these careless drivers. Your focus should be on the road and not the other things that easily grab your attention. One split second can determine whether you and the passengers in your car live or die.
Choose wisely and don’t limit your chances of survival by driving while distracted. If we remind ourselves and others to keep our hands on the wheel, eyes focused on the road, and know that if it’s not an emergency, it can wait, we can prevent accidents and save lives this holiday season.
Call a Sacramento Car Accident Attorney for Help
Our Sacramento accident lawyers wish everyone a Happy Fourth of July. We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable holiday. If you are in an accident, please know that we are here to help you and your family deal with the aftermath of a horrible traffic accident.
Call The Tiemann Law Firm at (916) 999-9000 or visit our website. Our law firm serves clients in Sacramento, Folsom, Roseville, El Dorado Hills and other communities in the greater Sacramento area.
