Safety Tips for Driving During the Holidays in Anchorage, Alaska
According to information provided by the Centers for Disease Control, car accidents are the leading cause of death for persons aged 1-54 in the United States. In Alaska, car accidents are the third leading cause of death. However, deaths resulting from car accidents can be avoided if you follow some simple safety rules, especially around the holidays.
The three main safety rules to follow in order to stay as safe as possible during the holiday season, as well as any time of year, are as follows:
Always wear your seat belt.
Always drive sober, and stay alert and aware at all times.
Avoid distractions at all costs.
Do not drive when you are impaired in any way, shape, or form. Do not get behind the wheel of a vehicle if you have ingested any amount of alcohol or drugs, and do not allow your friends and family to do so. Car accidents that happen due to intoxicated drivers always happen more often during the holidays, because everyone wants to ‘let loose’ and have a few drinks. You must refrain from driving if you decide to do this. Call an Uber, Lyft, Cab, or have a designated driver take you home. Drinking and driving are not worth your life, or the lives of your loved ones, or someone else’s.
Avoid any and all distractions while driving. We are often around more friends and family than usual at the holidays, which means that we could be driving a car full of them at any given time. Avoid becoming distracted by conversation, and especially avoid distractions from your phone like calls or texts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that approximately 94% of all of the car accidents that take place in the United States are the result of some form of distracted driving.
Sending or receiving a text can take your eyes off of the road and your surroundings for at least five seconds. If you are traveling at 55 miles per hour or faster, this is equivalent to driving the length of an entire football field blindfolded. Keep this in mind next time you go to receive or send a text while your foot is on the gas pedal.
Always remember to check the weather conditions before you head out to drive. The holidays in many states, especially Alaska, usually come with bad weather conditions. If you do not do this, you could become stuck in a storm, lose control of your vehicle, and sustain serious injuries or worse, cause serious injuries to someone you love. Take a few minutes to check what the weather will be like when you will be driving, and refrain from traveling in inclement weather conditions.
The Law Office of Jason Skala has been serving the Anchorage community for over a decade. Jason Skala, a prominent personal injury lawyer in Anchorage, provides his clients with some of the best legal representation in Alaska. He works to ensure that your legal rights are protected and preserved at all costs and helps you exercise your right toward just financial compensation in the event that you have been injured by a negligent driver. You could be suffering in more ways than one if you have sustained injuries in a negligently caused car accident. You could be forced to spend time off of work, and you may be suffering from severe pain. Your medical bills could be piling up all while you are unable to work. All of these circumstances and more are able to be covered by full and fair financial compensation for your injuries and incurred losses in the event that you have been injured in a car accident that was caused by the negligence of another person.
Allow Jason Skala, a skilled and dedicated car accident lawyer in Anchorage, to evaluate your case at no cost to you. Our firm works on a contingency fee basis which means there are no upfront fees, and you only pay us when you get paid. Please call us at your earliest convenience in the event that you believe that you or your loved one’s injuries were the results of a negligent driver in Anchorage.