Gear Up with 5 Holiday Travel Tips Before You Hit the Road

Based on reports by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year, with an estimated 13.7 million long-distance trips taken. Although people have the option to travel by plane, train or bus, nearly 91% of all long-distance holiday travel is by car. With more people on the road, drivers in Austin, Texas, need to be careful.

The chances for getting into a car accident during the busiest time of the year dramatically increases, as families head out in droves to gather together. Keep your family safe this year and every holiday season, by following 5 important safety tips from auto accident attorneys.

1. Check Your Vehicle Before Taking a Road Trip—Heading out on the road can be dangerous, especially if your car isn’t functioning properly. Always inspect your vehicle before taking it on a long-distance road trip.

2. Avoid Texting and Talking on the Cell Phone While Driving—Every state has different cell phone usage laws while driving. If you’re traveling outside the state of Texas, you can avoid driver distractions by not using your cell phone when driving.

3. Don’t Fall Asleep at the Wheel—If you’re tired after driving for long hours, it’s better to find the nearest rest stop or well-lit area off the side of the road to take a nap. Falling asleep behind the wheel can not only cause a major car crash, but it can also cause personal injuries to you and others.

4. Don’t Drink and Drive—DWI is one of the leading causes of car crashes in Texas and the surrounding areas. Find a designated driver to take you home, if you plan on drinking at a holiday party.

5. Stay Focused—Avoid all other distractions, such as eating, talking, texting and searching for items in your car while driving. Keep your hands on the wheel and be aware of your surroundings.

The Austin car accident attorneys want you to have a safe and happy holiday travel this year. Contact Gonzales & Gonzales if you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident.

Halloween Safety Tips You Can Follow While Trick-or-Treating in Austin

It’s already time for Halloween to sneak up on us and before we even say “Boo”, kids will be running through the neighborhood dressed in their decorative costumes, knocking on the front door, and asking for candy. As exciting and fun as Halloween can be, there are a few safety tips that parents and motorists can follow to avoid getting “spooked” by unexpected personal injury accidents and to ensure that you and your child will have a safe and happy Halloween.

 Drivers Need to See You: It can be hard for motorists to see little children walking around at night, especially if they are wearing dark costumes while crossing the street. Parents and children need to be seen by a car; that means carrying flashlights wearing bright colors, reflectors, or investing in glow sticks, to make sure cars can see you.
 Make Sure Your Costume is Safe to Wear: Costumes with masks make it difficult to see out of your peripheral vision and can increase the risk of pedestrian accidents. Even if your costume does not involve a disguise, you should not wear costumes that would camouflage you with the environment (such as all black when trick-or-treating at night) or long garments that would cause you to slip and fall.
 Pick a Well-Lit Neighborhood with Sidewalks: Areas that tend to have a lot of traffic and not enough street lighting or sidewalks can be especially dangerous. Consider driving to a neighborhood with plenty of lighting and space to go trick-or-treating.
 Never Go Trick-or-Treating Alone: Travel in groups when you go door-to-door.
 Follow Basic Traffic Safety Tips: Always look both ways before crossing the street. Use the crosswalk at all times and be sure you make eye contact with drivers. You may be able to see them, but you want to be sure they stop and see you.

If you or your child has suffered from a personal injury from trick-or-treating on Halloween or at any time during the year, contact an Austin personal injury accident attorney today.

Back-to-School Child Safety Driving Tips for Parents in Austin, Texas

It’s that time of year again for summer to end, fall to set in, and for the school year to begin. While many parents are excited for their little ones to go back to school, it’s important to exercise a few traffic safety tips to help keep your child safe and to avoid personal injuries.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle accidents were the number one cause of death for children ages 3 to 14, in 2006.

Even with ever changing car technology and advancements, parents should never underestimate the dangers of leaving their child inside or near a vehicle, without proper adult supervision. Children are quick to act on impulse and could easily start a car’s engine, shift the gears in neutral, and cause a fatal car crash resulting in serious injuries.

What are the seating requirements to help prevent children from being injured in cars?

It is recommended that any child, under the age of 13, should ride in the back seat of the car. Depending on the age, height, and weight of your child, the appropriate child seat restraints must be selected accordingly. For example, a newborn would need to ride in an infant-only, rear-facing car seat. Toddlers, ages 1-3, would also need to ride in a rear facing car seat based on your car seat manufacture’s height and weight limit. A child age 4 to 7, however, may need a forward-facing car seat with a harness, till they outgrow that, and move on to a booster seat.

What if I don’t drive my child to school?

If your child will be walking or riding a bike to school, not only should they understand traffic laws and obey traffic signs and signals, but teaching your child to make eye contact with drivers, before crossing the street, can safeguard against your child being hit by an inattentive driver.

Parents need to think about more than just buying school books and school supplies for their child’s first day back. It’s important to always take the necessary precautions to ensure your child travels safely, to and from school, all year-round.

Contact Austin car accident attorneys at Gonzales & Gonzales, today.

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