Here in Central Florida, many people commute daily to their jobs. Businesses in large cities such as Tampa and Orlando aren’t always located near neighborhoods, or sometimes employees choose to live outside of the “hustle and bustle” directly around their place of work. Regardless of the reason, we know that many of you are hitting the highway each morning preparing for a long day of work, and are heading home each evening battling traffic and the end-of-the-day exhaustion.
Daily commutes are a prime time for accidents to happen. That’s why we put together this checklist to help you make your own commute as safe as possible each day.
1. Are you prepared?
Starting out your morning in an unprepared rush means you will likely be running late when you get behind the wheel. That leads to dangerous practices like speeding, rash decision making, etc. Preparing for your morning the night before can alleviate a lot of rush. Make sure your alarm is set to go off in plenty of time to allow for a shower, breakfast, and any additional work that needs to be done before you can leave home. Consider taking shortcuts such as laying out your clothes (or your younger children’s) the night before, packing your lunch ahead of time, and making sure your car is filled with gas beforehand.
2. Are you well rested?
Fatigue makes for a dangerous driving situation, especially on a routine commute where you can get lulled into the familiarity and drift off by accident. Make it a goal to get a full 8 hours of sleep each night and do your best to plan your schedule accordingly.
3. Are you hungry or thirsty?
Blood sugar is no joke, and leaving home without eating or drinking anything can be dangerous for anyone, but especially for those who struggle with blood-sugar imbalances. Failing to eat breakfast can lead to dizziness, nausea, and headaches. Again, this means you will be less-than-your-best when behind the wheel. Either allow for time to make yourself breakfast at home or to pick something up, or have a stash of easy to grab breakfast options in your pantry at home. Also, consider keeping a snack and a bottle of water in your car for the mornings (or evenings) when you are caught in traffic and the munchies set in.
4. Are you distracted?
Don’t allow yourself to become unfocused while driving during your commute. Playing with the radio or cell phone is the cause of many highway bump-ups during daily commutes. It’s easy to rear-end someone if you glance down at your phone (let that call go to voicemail) only to realize that traffic has come to a stop again when you hit the person in front of you.
We encourage you to go through this checklist when you hop into your car each morning for your own commute. If you have been involved in a commuter accident, whether it be your fault or the fault of someone else, contact us! Sessums Law Group represents drivers throughout the greater Lakeland and Sebring area, and we are prepared to help you navigate the details of your case and resulting insurance claims.
Remember when the unexpected happens while commuting – we stand for YOU!