It seems no time at all since last Christmas and here we are again! Already, with over a week to go to Christmas day, there is a feel of slowing down as everyone prepares to go home to their families to celebrate.
For many of us that means travelling to the homes of family and friends with an uncertainty as to what the weather and road conditions are likely to be over Christmas and New Year. If you are planning to drive over the holidays it makes good sense to extra vigilant whilst out and about. You may be perfectly safe yourself but you can never predict the actions of other road users. Some simple steps can help prevent accidents from happening.
Before you leave to make your journey make sure your vehicle is safe, that the tyres are the right pressure, your lights are working and you have plenty of fuel in the tank. Many drivers choose to carry a red warning triangle in the boot of their vehicles now so that if they break down or are involved in an accident they can warn other road users and prevent further problems.
Always carry with you your insurance and breakdown cover details just in case you need them.
When out and about on the roads keep an even more careful look out for unusual events – vehicles going very slowly or wavering about on the road and give them a wide berth.
And keep a look out for cyclists who are sometimes not that easy to see. And likewise with pedestrians – there will be more people on the streets as they celebrate parties and nights out and don’t assume that they will stay safely on the pavement as you drive along – they have a habit of stepping out!
Just by taking a few of these quite simple steps you can reduce the chances of you being involved in an accident over the Christmas holidays.
Sometimes of course with all the best precautions in the world accidents still happen and it may not be your fault. If that should happen to you then you will need legal advice on what to do about your damaged vehicle, what you should do about any injuries you have sustained and any concerns you may have about what to do if you cannot work because of the accident. John and I will be around over the Christmas period so if you do need any help or advice about how to pursue a claim we will be here to help. What we would ask in advance is that if possible you take some details at the scene of the accident such as the location of the incident, the names addresses of anyone else involved in the accident and registration numbers of any other vehicles involved. With that basic information we can then start helping you straightaway.
My sincerest hope is that we do not hear from you – that means that you have stayed safe on the roads but if you do need us, then you know where we are.
Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and a very Happy New Year from myself and John.
Until 2014…
Lorraine