Our Blog: Safety, Product, and Consumer Education

1. Immediately following an accident, make sure that no one is injured, either a passenger in your car, in other vehicles, and don't forget about pedestrians or others who may have been nearby.
   
   
2. Move to a place of safety, away from traffic.
   
   
3. Do not admit fault, no matter the accident circumstances, and do not discuss the accident with anyone other than your insurance company and the police.
   
   
4. If there are no police on the scene, call them to file a report, even if the accident takes place in a parking lot or seems minor.
   
   
5. Get instructions from the police on how to obtain a copy of the accident report.
   
   
6. Record the accident details, including place, time of day, and description of damages to your vehicle, other vehicles, and other property. (TIP: use your smart phone camera to take pictures of damage)
   
   
7. Get this information from the other driver(s) and anyone else involved:

   Name
   Address
   Phone Number
   Drivers License Number (for drivers involved)
   License Plate State and Number (state involved)
   VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) - often on a metal plate on the dash or driver's side door frame
   (TIP: use your smart phone camera to take pictures of license plates, drivers licenses and the accident scene from multiple perspectives)
   

8. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible with the information above, as well as your own drivers' license and vehicle license information.
   
   
9. If you need any help or guidance Please Contact Us.
   
   

See Also: Insurance Company Claim Phone Numbers and Website

See Also: What you need to do after a homeowner loss

1. If a loss involves fire, flood, or another dangerous situation, make sure all family members and pets are safe and accounted for.
   
   
2. If a homeowner loss involves property damage, take practical steps to prevent further damage. For instance, if if windows are broken, board them up. The extra cost of preventing further damage is actually included in homeowner insurance policies.
   
   
3. If and when you can safely do so, take an inventory of damaged and destroyed personal property.
   
   
4. If there is ever any doubt about whether a small accident will result in a claim, file a claim with your insurance company. Minor dog bites and slip-and-fall accidents are in this category; failure to promptly report a claim could result in denial of coverage.
   
   
5. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible with the claim details.
   
   
6. If you need help with any of this, Please Contact Us.
   

See Also: Insurance Company Claim Phone Numbers and Website

See Also: What to do after a car accident

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A question for conscientious drivers: Would you get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle knowing that you were hampered by one or more of these unsafe conditions?

• Impaired judgment
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Slowed reactions
• Reduced coordination
• Loss of alertness or concentration

Most responsible motorists would answer "No" to this question.

But it's a fact that large numbers of drivers, many of them without even realizing it, regularly take to the road with their critical driving skills diminished by popular over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications.

The impairments that these "drugged drivers" experience often stem from the side effects of medication that they're using to relieve the symptoms of common ailments. Included are medicines such as:

• Cold/flu/allergy preparations - particularly those containing traditional antihistamines targeted at sneeze, tearing and itching.
• Cough suppressants
• Pain relievers
• Tranquilizers
• Muscle relaxants

These products typically work just fine. The problem is that while they're relieving your symptoms, they're also relieving you're of your critical driving faculties - setting up an unsafe situation.

So do drivers like you have to choose between not using the medication and feeling miserable - or using it and taking  a chance on operation "under the influence" of everyday drugs?

Not necessarily. These practical do's and don'ts from medical and safety professionals may help you find a workable solution:

• DON'T think that because you can buy a medication without a doctor's prescription, it is weak or harmless.
• DON'T believe that if "one pill is good, two are better." Stick to the recommended dosage. Exceeding it only increases side effects.
• DON'T combine drugs unless you're told to by a health professional.
• DON'T mix medications and alcohol.
• DON'T take a "side effect" medication immediately before, or during the course of, driving.

• DO keep in mind the possibility of impairment by "legal" drugs.
• DO read medication labels, packaging and inserts carefully.
• DO talk with your physician or pharmacist if you have doubts or questions about when or how to sue a product.
• DO ask questions before you take or combine medicines.
• DO understand that if the drug relieves your symptoms but has driver-impairing side effects, you might use it after work or overnight so it can sear off before you have to drive again.
• DO recognize that if the side effect is drowsiness from an OTC drug, you can ask your doctor about a prescription alternative. "Second generation" antihistamines usually don't produces these effects.
• DO remember the old medical saying: "There are no safe drugs, only safe doses." And bear in mind that when it comes to driving, the safe dose may sometimes be not at all.

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• Death rates are three times higher at night than in the day.
• Most accidents occur at night, although there is far less traffic then.

The increased dangers of after dark driving fall into three driver-related categories: Vision, alertness, operations. The following sections look at these dangers, and some ways for you to cope.

Darkness, of course, makes everything harder to see. Thus, a leading night-travel hazard is that of over-driving your headlights - moving too fast to react or stop within the distance illuminated by your lights.

Absence of light also impairs peripheral vision and abilities to judge distance, movement, and color.

To help offset such problems, keep the following measures in mind:

• Get you eyesight examined regularly
• Avoid looking directly into intense light sources - such as oncoming headlamps and "flashing arrows" used in construction-site lighting.
• If you spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun, wear sunglasses. This preserves properties in the eye that promote night vision. (On the other hand, avoid using sunglasses at night.)

Try to get appropriate sleep on a regular basis.

Attempt to plan your trips with convenient rest breaks in mind - so you can refresh yourself, stretch, relax, have coffee or a bite.

You can have a good influence on the outcome of night driving by paying attention to hoe you prepare and operate your vehicle. Beyond the exercise of normal caution, judgment, and defensive driving skills, here are some particulars to think about:

• Compensate for the effects of darkness by sharply reducing your speed. Slow down significantly, compared with your speed during the day. Again, don't overdrive your headlights.
• Be aware that automated speed-control devices for highway cruising are not recommended for night use.
• Leave extra distance between you and the vehicle you're following.
• Routinely test all lights and signals for proper working order.
• Be sure headlights are clean and properly aligned.
• Routinely clean windshield and side window - inside and out.
• Switch on your headlamps at the first hint of diminishing light.
• Don't abuse high-beam use. Follow "dimming" specifications for your state.  And avoid using high beams in snow or fog.
• If an approaching vehicle fails to dime its high beams, don't "flash" your brights back. Instead, turn your focus on the right margin of the road until the blinding lights have passed.

In the end, remember this: If you drive after dark, take comfort in knowing that awareness, planning, and careful vehicle operation can help you through to see the light.