Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog
If you have children, you’re probably very familiar with the school run. Getting your children to school may be a big part of your mornings. However, lots of other parents in Hollywood and South Florida are doing the same thing – and that can mean a lot of traffic as well as the risk of traffic accidents. Luckily, there are things you can do to make mornings easier.
The Night Before
You can save a lot of distraction and hurry on your morning drive with a few things you can do before each school night:
- Get everyone to sleep early. A good night’s sleep for you and your children keeps everyone healthier and in a better mood. It can also help prevent the rush of late mornings. Finally, getting a good night’s sleep can help you avoid fatigued driving – a major contributor to traffic crashes in Hollywood and South Florida.
- Get outfits, homework, and backpacks ready with a morning routine. Have a space set aside somewhere for backpacks and anything else that needs to go to school. All homework, projects, and anything else needed for school should be in this area before bedtime so that in the morning your children don’t have to hunt for something they need for school.
- Have breakfasts and lunches handled. Have everything you need for easy-to-prepare breakfasts and lunches on hand. Better yet, make lunches and breakfast the night before so you can save time in the morning.
The Morning
Your morning will go more smoothly if you:
- Don’t hit the snooze button. Studies suggest hitting your snooze button can make you groggier, which means you may be at risk of fatigued driving. Hitting the snooze button can also make your morning more frantic, which can make you distracted or stressed behind the wheel.
- Eat a good breakfast. A good breakfast wakes you up and gets you ready for the day so you’re not tired. Eating at home also helps you avoid having to stop for coffee and breakfast.
- Check the traffic report. Before you leave the house, check out your usual route. Has there been an accident or delays? If so, choose a less stressful route.
- Put away distractions. Before you hop in the car, make sure your children are buckled in and occupied with a game or something else. Put away your distractions – such as your mobile devices. The morning commute can be traffic heavy, so you want your full focus on the road.
During and After the Drive
During the drive, focus on driving. In the morning, you may feel a little tired – and so are the other motorists around you. It’s one reason why car accident happen at this time of day.
Drive to the right drop-off at the school. If your child’s school has a drop-off area, drive there. This area should have clearly designated pedestrians areas and should get your child away from traffic and to a protected pedestrian-only area quickly.
If you find the morning commute stressful, consider dropping your kids off using public transit or try car pool to reduce your morning stress and your risk of a crash.
If you or your child are injured during a morning commute, you can always contact Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation. We are always standing by to help.