The end of the year and the holiday season are busy for most of us. There are family get-togethers, special events, holiday shopping, and holiday decorating to get done. In many industries, workplaces are busier. These various elements can make us all more vulnerable to car accidents, workplace accidents, and other types of injuries.
Here, we take a look at why you may be more vulnerable at this time of year, and what you can do about it. Here are the risks:
Bias is inevitable. Our brains process so much information that researchers have shown that we filter out data and group like ideas together to deal with information overload. Sometimes, we get the wrong information and it just never gets corrected. This leads to bias.
A great place to see bias in action is on Florida streets. Research shows that most drivers think they are skilled, safe drivers. The sheer number of near-misses and crashes in the state shows that a significant percentage of motorists are driving distracted or are being reckless.
Cleanup after Hurricane Ian continues, and if you’ve been thinking of buying a car, perhaps because your own vehicle was damaged, you need to be careful. Many flooded cars from the storm are expected to end up on the resale market, and driving these cars can be dangerous. They can even cause you to end up in a car accident.
Here’s what you need to know.
About 70% of American households have pets, but while we love our non-human friends, they can pose dangers. In the home and outside, animals can bite others or can even cause allergic reactions. They can be an especial danger to children, who may not know the best way to act around dogs and cats. On the road, pets can cause serious crashes and injuries.
Storms can be dangerous because they can cause weather conditions that make driving dangerous. During a storm, all the usual causes of car accidents—drunk driving, distraction, human error—still apply, but in addition to these, there are other factors that can contribute to the risk of a car accident:
Peer pressure and risk-taking have always been a concern for some drivers, and especially for younger motorists. Teens may be pressured by friends to drive fast or to try “stunts,” whether that’s heading off roading or riding on the roof or hood of a car.
Social media has changed the dynamic. Before, teen drivers may have faced pressure and risk from their immediate group of friends. With TikTok and other platforms, though, they may be encouraged to take risks by people all over the world.
Heatwaves and climate change have been in the news lately, and while Islamorada and other South Florida communities are hardly strangers to high temperatures, this is a good time to review the link between hot temperatures and car accidents and to discuss ways to lower your risk of crashes, no matter what weather you’re driving in.
Work zones include road work sites, construction job sites, and other temporary project areas where construction workers, contractors, and other professionals are building infrastructure or structures or are fixing them.
Work zones are a considerable risk for workers. In 2020 alone, 117 workers sustained fatal injuries on highway work sites. They also pose a risk of car accidents for those just passing through these areas.
While human error is a leading cause of car collisions, mechanical failure is also a common reason why motorists are in an accident. While you can drive very safely, if your car has serious design or manufacturing flaws, you are still at risk of tire blowouts, overheating engines, failing brakes, ignition problems, and other common mechanical failures.
Preventing Mechanical Failure Accidents in Oakland Park
While you don’t control how careful manufacturers are when they design and build your car, there are steps you can take to prevent common mechanical failures:
Rain. Glaring sun. Hurricanes. Florida drivers sometimes have to put up with a lot on the road. While none of us control the weather, it is expected that we take proper care to adjust out driving and speed for the conditions. If drivers fail to do so, they can be held liable for injuries they cause.
Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog