Summer provides the perfect time for people to take road trips to visit friends or relax at vacation destinations. Unfortunately, with more people on the roads, there is also a greater risk of accidents during this time.

Protecting yourself during summer road trip season is essential and Safer Car has some tips for things you can do to avoid problems and to keep others safe on the roads. Drivers should consider these safety tips before heading out on the road. Victims of accidents should also consult with a personal injury lawyer for advice on protecting their legal rights and obtaining compensation if an accident does occur.

Tips for a Successful Summer Road Trip

The success of your summer road trip begins with making sure your car is in good working order before you head out so you do not have a breakdown. One of the worst types of breakdowns that occurs is a tire blowout because this could cause you to experience an accident. You should check your tire treads before you leave on your road trip to ensure that the treads are not too worn. You should also check the air pressure in your tires. Your car may have a sensor that alerts you when tire pressure gets too low, but it never hurts to check manually.

You could also be at risk of an accident if you have problems with your windshield wipers on the road. Be sure that the wipers are not overly worn and that you have windshield wiper fluid in the car before you go. This will allow you to maintain adequate visibility in case you hit a patch of bad weather on your drive.

Once you are on the road, you need to tell all of your passengers to buckle their seat belts and you need to be buckled up yourself. Seat belts should be worn even for trips of very short duration because accidents can happen anywhere. If you are traveling with children, kids under the age of 13 should be in the back seat to avoid the potential for air bag injuries. Younger children will need more than just a seat belt and you should have a booster seat or car seat depending upon the child’s weight and age. Installing car seats can be difficult so check your owner’s manual to make sure that your seat is installed correctly.

You need to focus not just on your own safety but also on the safety of others on the road when you head out for your summer road trip. Remember that there are more young children walking and biking in the summer because they are out of school and there are also more motorcycles on the road during the nice weather. Avoid driving while you are distracted and stay focused on the road at all times so you do not cause a collision and injure someone else. Let pedestrians have the right-of-way at crosswalks and don’t assume that they see you when you are driving.

Contact a San Antonio personal injury lawyer at the Herrera Law Firm. Call 800-455-1054 or visit http://www.herreralaw.com for a free case consultation.

Truck accidents remain a significant risk for drivers and passengers in smaller motor vehicles. Recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveals a rise in truck accident fatalities in 2012 and demonstrates that occupants of passenger vehicles make up the majority of those killed in truck crashes.

Preventing truck accidents is essential for motorists to stay safe on the road. Those who are injured in a truck collision should also understand their legal rights. A personal injury attorney can provide legal representation for truck accident victims and family members of people killed in collisions.

Truck Accident Deaths on the Rise

The recent NHTSA report has bad news for drivers about truck collisions:

• Truck accident fatalities increased four percent between 2011 and 2012. In total, there were 3,921 people who were killed in collisions involving large trucks over the course of 2012. A large truck is a truck that weighs more than 10,000 pounds.
• In addition to the deaths, there were a total of 104,000 injuries in truck collisions in 2012.
• In total, 330,000 large trucks were involved in motor vehicle accidents over the course of the 2012 year.
• People who were in a different vehicle from the truck accounted for 73 percent of all truck accident fatalities that happened in 2012. This was a five percent increase in the number of non-truck occupants killed in vehicles after being involved in a truck collision as compared with the prior year.
• People who were not occupants of any vehicle accounted for 10 percent of truck accident fatalities over the course of 2012. This was a decrease of 11 percent compared with the number of non-occupants who killed the prior year.
• Truckers and passengers inside of large trucks accounted for 18 percent of truck accident fatalities in 2012. This was a nine percent increase compared with the prior year.

Since drivers face the biggest risk of dying in a truck accident, drivers should ensure that they are doing everything they can to stay safe. While a driver may be unable to avoid an accident caused by a negligent trucker, there are things motorists can do to reduce their risk. For example, drivers should:

• Remember that trucks have large blind spots. There is a “no zone” that exists in the front, the side and the back of the truck. As GEICO reminds motorists, if a driver cannot see the trucker in the truck’s rear-view mirror, the trucker cannot see the driver.
• Know that trucks have a longer stopping distance. A truck could travel the length of a football field once the driver has hit the brakes. Drivers need to ensure they do not get into the path of the trucker and should never cut off a trucker abruptly.
• Pass carefully. You should not pull forward and move over until you are sure that you see the front of the truck in your vehicle’s rear-view mirror.

By following these driver safety tips, hopefully people can reduce the risk of being hurt or killed in a collision with a large truck.

Contact a San Antonio personal injury attorney at the Herrera Law Firm. Call 800-455-1054 or visit http://www.herreralaw.com for a free case consultation.