With snowstorms, slippery roads, and chilly temperatures, it’s not hard to determine why car accidents tend to increase in the winter months. Even though you may sometimes be at the mercy of other not-so-skilled drivers on the road, there are ways to lower your risk of suffering a winter car accident. With proper preparation and practice, you can learn how to safely navigate slippery, snowy streets.

Learn loose steering

It may seem counterintuitive, but if your front wheels begin to skid on a patch of ice, you need to temporarily let go of the steering. To regain control of your car, shift into the neutral gear and slowly begin to guide the wheels and vision back into the direction you want your car to go.

Turn off cruise control

During the winter season, you shouldn’t rely on cruise control while you are driving over icy hills or slippery roads. Though it may be slightly less convenient, plan on turning your cruise control off for these colder months and just rely on your gas pedal.

Reduce pressure on brakes

You may rely on pumping your brakes during warmer months, but the winter season is time to limit the amount of pressure you put on the brakes. When you need to brake, press on the pedal gently to prevent your wheels from locking up each time you stop. Gently pumping the brakes can also help prevent skidding and sliding to the side of the road when your car comes to a stop.  

Distance yourself from snowplows

It is difficult to safely maneuver around snowplows, sanding trucks, and other maintenance vehicles. Instead of trying to navigate your way around these large vehicles, stick to a different route when you see one a few vehicles ahead.

If you are injured in a winter car accident, the personal injury lawyers of D’Agostino & Associates can help. We help people with a variety of legal situations, including personal injury and Social Security disability. For more information, you can reach our New York and New Jersey area offices at (888) 860-5787.

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If you’re like most drivers, you probably recognize that speeding, driving distracted, and failing to obey the rules of the road can all increase your chances of being involved in an auto accident. Even though following basic traffic rules and regulations plays an important role in lowering your chances of a car accident, it isn’t the only way to ensure your travels are safe. Here’s a look at some not-so obvious tips for avoiding dangerous car accidents.

Avoid the “fast lane”

Traveling in the furthest left lane may be tempting when you’re hurrying to get to work each morning, but this option is more dangerous than the other lane alternatives. Traveling in the center or right lane limits your possible interactions with nearby impatient, speedy drivers. It also provides you with more escape routes to pull over to the side of the road if a sudden problem occurs.

Pay attention to blind spots

You should adjust your mirrors so that you have a wide-angle view of the scene behind you, but you can’t only rely on your mirrors when changing lanes. Even with the best possible adjustment, you will still be faced with blind spots. As a result, you need to physically turn your head and look at the lane beside you when changing over. This will help you spot any hazards or other cars that are in your mirror’s blind spots.

Know your car’s limits

Not every car drives the same way, so you need to pay close attention to how your car moves in varying situations. For example, you should note how your car reacts when rounding corners or how long it takes for your car to stop when you brake. This will help you gauge the safest speed and distance for braking.

The personal injury lawyers at D’Agostino & Associates are available in a day’s notice to discuss your case. You can schedule an appointment at our office by dialing (888) 860-5787. Our office has more than 20 years of experience helping New York area residents with a range of legal problems.

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 4,432 people were killed in collisions between pedestrians and motor vehicles in 2011. Both drivers and pedestrians have a responsibility to exercise reasonable caution and care each time they are on the road. This caution is necessary because failure to obey the rules of the road or to pay proper attention can result in serious harm, especially in accidents involving pedestrians and motor vehicles.

Failing to pay attention

Distracted driving has become a major threat to pedestrian safety across roadways in America. In particular, texting while driving is of notable concern because the activity diverts a driver’s attention and vision away from the road. Drivers who text while driving also don’t have both of their hands on the steering wheel at all times. As a result, it is much more difficult for them to account for pedestrians in crosswalks, sidewalks, or neighborhood streets.

Failing to observe posted speed limits

Even though it’s important for drivers to always pay attention to the posted speed limit, this is especially true in school zones. When drivers approach school zones, the speed limit drops to ensure the safety of young children, who are considerably more difficult to see. Children can also be very unpredictable in their movements, especially when they are playing or walking in the nearby vicinity of a school. For this reason, drivers should exercise caution when passing schools or maneuvering through residential neighborhoods.

Failing to yield at marked cross walks

Not every crosswalk is equipped with a traffic light to pause the flow of traffic and ensure pedestrian safety as they cross the street. If a driver approaches a marked crosswalk without a traffic light, then he or she still needs to yield to any people waiting or attempting to cross the street.

D’Agostino & Associates has a team of more than 20 legal professionals available to help you with your personal injury claim. Located in the Staten Island area, our office is dedicated to helping you feel comfortable as you navigate the legal system. For more information, call (888) 860-5787.

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Even though motorcyclists aren’t more likely to get involved in an accident than people driving cars, they are more likely to sustain personal injuries resulting from an accident. This is especially true of a motorcyclist that chooses to travel without the protection of a helmet. Aside from wearing proper protection, a motorcyclist can lower his or her risk of sustaining a personal injury by learning to avoid the top causes of motorcycle accidents.

One of the most dangerous accident situations involving motorcyclists is a head on collision between a car and a motorcycle. The impact from this type of collision can force the motorcyclist to be thrown from his or her bike and suffer a concussion or traumatic brain injury. Another very dangerous accident situation is when a car is making a left turn and fails to see a motorcycle going straight through an intersection or passing a car. This type of collision is also common between two cars, but the smaller size of the motorcycle makes the motorcycle less visible to cars waiting to turn left.

At D’Agostino & Associates, our lawyers specialize in helping personal injury victims. Call (888) 860-5787 to learn more or to schedule an appointment.

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If you’ve recently suffered a car accident or other personal injury, you’ll want to seek the advice of an injury lawyer. However, making sure you are hiring the best lawyer for your needs is not always easy. Make sure you know when you may have chosen the wrong attorney to handle your case by reading over this article.

Inexperience

A law firm may state that they handle a wide variety of personal injury cases, but that does not necessarily mean they specialize in these practice areas. Find out if the attorney that will be working with you has experience in providing legal representation for your type of case, whether that is a car accident, slip and fall, or workplace injury. In the event your lawyer has not handled many of these types of cases in the past, it may be time to consider switching firms.

Communication

Another sign that it’s time to choose a different lawyer is poor communication. For example, a good lawyer should keep you informed on the details of your case, return phone calls or emails, and notify you of the best time that they can be reached. It is also important that your lawyer communicates whether or not any other individuals will be working on your case, such as other attorneys or paralegals within the firm.

Goals

Some lawyers may have a different end result in mind when it comes to the final settlement. For this reason, you may want to consult with a different lawyer if you do not like how your current representative is approaching your case.

Don’t let your current lawyer’s inexperience or poor communication habits interfere with the outcome of your case. Contact D'Agostino & Associates in Staten Island at (888) 860-5787 for more information on switching to one of our personal injury lawyers.

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