We have entered high school and college graduation season, which means summer is just around the corner.
The American Automobile Association reports 100 million Americans will make a summer road trip this year. Orlando remains the number one summer travel destination in the nation, but many will be visiting Southwest Florida as well. And local residents use the summer season to make road trips of their own, with the Florida Keys and Miami also being popular destinations.
“This is quickly shaping up to be another busy year for family travelers, both on the roadways, as well as other popular travel destinations and attractions.,” said Stacey Barber of AAA. “To make the most of their vacations, AAA recommends families plan and research as far ahead as possible.”
Our Fort Myers car accident lawyers know proper planning can go a long way toward getting your trip off to a safe start. But your behavior behind the wheel is equally critical to the safety of you and your family.
Travel Safety in Focus for Florida Motorists
There are a number of things you can do to stay safe on your summer road trip:
- Vehicle maintenance: Have your car serviced. Many northerners have their vehicles serviced before winter and in the spring. Florida’s year around sunshine means too many of us wait too long between service appointments. Tires, in particular, can be dangerous when worn or improperly inflated. Florida’s blistering sun and heavy summer rains make good tires critical to road safety.
- Avoid aggression: Leave with plenty of time to reach your destination. Recognize aggressive driving is not road rage, but rather a collection of driving behaviors of which too many motorists are guilty, including speeding, following too closely, abrupt lane changes or fast braking, and failure to use your turn signals.
- Obey the law: Speeding, violating traffic signals, and failing to yield the right of way are all primary causes of collisions.
- Never drink and drive: In today’s connected world, there is never an excuse to drink and drive. Use Lyft, Uber, or another ride sharing service.
- Avoid distraction: Distraction continues to be a leading cause of collisions. In addition to smartphones, other forms of distraction include talking to passengers, eating or grooming, using navigation devices, and outside distractions like road construction.
“Distracted driving is an extremely dangerous driving behavior that can turn deadly in an instant,” said FLHSMV Executive Director, Terry L. Rhodes. “Motorists should keep their eyes on the road, hands on the wheel and mind on driving to Arrive Alive.”
Car accident attorneys in Fort Myers and Cape Coral know making a commitment to safety also reduces the chances you will be found financially responsible for causing a collision. Ensuring you are properly compensated after a collision is best done with the help of an experienced personal injury law firm.
Florida’s mandatory minimum insurance law requires just $10,000 Personal Injury Protection and $10,000 property damage coverage and the Insurance Information Institute estimates 1 in 4 Florida motorists is driving without any insurance at all. Without proper legal help, you may not receive the compensation to which you are entitled, even if a collision was clearly the fault of a careless or reckless motorist.
If you or a loved one is injured, call Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, at 1-800-646-1210.