During summer time, Metro Detroit roads tend to get busier than any other time of the year. In order to stay safe on the road, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) has shared some driving tips focusing on putting safety first in order to minimize car accidents.
Protect the Children
Always wear a seat belt
Summer Safety Alert
Stay Alert
When traveling with children, your number one priority should be to keep them safe. You should make sure that children in the car with you are in a car seat, booster seat, or wearing a seat belt that is best suited to protect them. If you child is 13 years of age or younger, they should always ride in the backseat of the car. As well as keeping your child safe, it is important that everyone else in the vehicle is safe too, in order to prevent injuries that may arise from car accidents, if one were to happen. All passengers must be wearing a seat belt at all times under Michigan law. You should set an example by always putting your seat belt on right away when you enter the car.
In addition to the above tips on keeping children safe, there are other dangers that should be looked at as well. Heatstroke can be common during the summer. It can occur when a child is left unattended in a parked car. You should never leave a child alone in the car, not even for a couple of minutes or with the engine running. According to the NHTSA, if the temperature outside is in the low 80s, the temperature inside the vehicle can reach deadly levels in only a few minutes. The body temperature of a child's body raises 3 to 5 times faster than that of an adult.
Lastly, staying alert on the road is equally as important. Long road trips can be tough on children, and in return, tough on you. It's important to plan accordingly by planning time along the way to take a group stretch, get something to eat or drink, return calls or text messages, and change drivers if you are tired. Staying over night at a hotel can make a trip a lot less tiring and overall easier for everyone. You should also bring along some of your children's favorite books or movies, so that the trip will go faster for them and there will be less distractions for you.
Following these summer driving tips can help your safety on the road. However, If you have been injured in a car accident, contact a lawyer at The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Motor vehicle accidents can lead to legal problems, whether it be a car, motorcycle, or bus accident, we're here to help. Our accident attorneys are experienced in handling all types of auto accident cases. Call 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation today.