While the weather here in northeastern Pennsylvania has remained unusually warm this fall, it won’t be long before the long, cold months set in. Each season presents its own set of driving hazards that can cause drivers and their passengers to suffer injuries — or worse.
Below are some tips to help keep you safer on the roads during late autumn.
Daylight savings time ends
If you’re still struggling to adjust to the earlier onset of dusk, you’re not alone. All of a sudden, your commute home requires headlights. Some people have vision problems that make driving after dark riskier, so be on the lookout for unsafe drivers.
It’s mating season for deer
While a driver can strike a deer during all four seasons of the year, now is the time when large animals like deer, elk and moose go into rut. That can make them behave aggressively and dart across roads after a mate. Be aware of the possibility and prepare to suddenly brake if a deer jumps out of the woods onto the highway.
Downed leaves make for slippery surfaces
While the changing colors of the leaves are part of autumn’s beauty, they can wreak havoc for motorcyclists once they fall on the roads. If rain, dew or fog gets them wet, they create real danger for those on two-wheelers.
What should you do after a wreck?
Safety is your number one priority, so call 911 to assist any injured parties and alert the police. If it is safe to do so, snap some photos at the scene, including the final position of the vehicles, skid marks and the license plate number of the car that caused the accident.
These could prove invaluable later in a civil suit against the negligent driver should you decide to seek compensation for your injuries, losses and other damages.