driving tipsThe holidays are quickly approaching, and people are making travel plans to visit family and friends. To avoid injuries and car accidents, it’s important to remember driving tips to keep everyone safe.

If you’re injured in a car accident, contact the Clark & Smith team immediately.

Remember these four driving tips to ensure safety on the road:

Be Mindful of Bad Weather

Georgia is known for hot summers and mild winters. If you’re taking the family out of state to visit family for the holidays, make sure you know what weather awaits you. If you are traveling to a snowy state, pack extra blankets and tools in case you have a breakdown. (Check the weather before leaving to avoid dangerous weather conditions.)

Click It or Ticket

It is illegal to drive or ride in a car without a seatbelt on. Before driving in any weather condition, double check that all passengers have their seatbelts fastened. If you’re traveling with a child who must sit in a car seat, make sure you take their winter jacket off before buckling them in. The extra padding of the jacket does not allow the car seat strap to be tight enough.

Drive Slow

If you’re driving and sleet, rain, snow, or hail begins to fall, slow down and turn on your hazard lights. Slowing down will help your tires gain more traction on the road, and your hazard lights will inform approaching drivers that you are driving below the speed limit. This will help you avoid accidents and hazards.

Turn on Your Headlights

Even if it’s daytime, make sure to turn on your headlights if it’s raining. A general rule of thumb is if you need your windshield wipers on, turn on your headlights. This allows other vehicles to see you through the rain. Also, before leaving on your holiday trip, check your windshield wipers, tires, and the oil to see if they are all in top-notch shape.

If you need legal help, call us at 478-254-5040. We wish you and yours a happy holiday season!