If you live in Indiana, you might find it enjoyable to escape the cold weather in your recreational vehicle from time to time. While heading south has many benefits, you should understand the dangers that come with driving a large vehicle. Understanding the common risks helps you take precautions and avoid the mistakes of other drivers. The Frequency of Rv Accidents According to the informational website RV and Playa, RV accidents occur regularly on U.S. roads due to such factors as the size of the vehicles and the prevalence of inexperienced drivers and senior drivers. Most states do not have special licensing requirements for drivers, which means just about anyone can rent or buy an RV and take it for a trip the next day. Statistics clearly show that RV drivers have fewer accidents than other motor vehicle drivers, as well as a lower instance of injury and death. Still, about 75,000 accidents requiring medical treatment do occur every year, with head…Read More

Hiring a contractor is a process that should be done carefully, thoughtfully and thoroughly. As you consider your selection, know that some contractors fail to follow laws meant to protect homeowners, creating complications when injuries occur due to shoddy craftsmanship. Most people just look for a contractor who has had a couple of good things said about them, who state they’ve “been doing this for a long time” and who can fit the job into their schedule. However, even “Good Old Jack” needs a background check. Contractors come from all walks of life with various strengths and weaknesses. Some are skilled and competent. Others are just out for a quick buck by performing minimal work. Knowing the difference can provide not only a project completed hazard-free but also peace of mind. Selection Reach out to trusted loved ones, friends and neighbors for possible recommendations of someone they have used in the past. If nothing comes of those requests, research other companies who…Read More

When you hit the road, it is important to keep your focus on the task at hand and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Of course, sometimes, this is easier said than done. This is especially the case when the distraction is actually a psychological phenomenon that can happen without much warning or any way for you to really stop the onset. Inattentional Blindness in Daily Life The American Psychological Association discusses the psychological phenomenon of inattentional blindness. In daily life, this serves as an important tool for maintaining focus. It allows you to hyper-focus in on one specific thing, blocking out everything else in the process. For example, if you have a crucial exam to focus on, inattentional blindness may kick in and allow you to ignore any disturbances in the surrounding area. Sometimes, inattentional blindness is so extreme that you might not even notice a fight breaking out at the table right next to yours in the testing hall.…Read More

When driving, it is of utmost importance to divide one’s attention evenly across all potential dangers of the road. Unfortunately, there is one natural phenomenon that might keep this from happening. It is called inattentional blindness, and while it offers important support in daily life, it can pose a major danger to any motorist. But why is this the case? Defining Inattentional Blindness The American Psychological Association takes a look at inattentional blindness as a psychological phenomenon. Inattentional blindness is a mental mechanic that allows people to selectively focus with a great level of intensity on one specific thing, to the exclusion of anything that is not this object of focus. Normally, this can offer major benefits, as it allows workers to focus on a task without any outside distraction. However, it can pose a major problem because it literally blinds a person to anything happening outside of their scope of focus. The Dangers of Distraction In life outside of driving, this…Read More

It’s bad enough when someone crashes into your vehicle and gives you serious injuries. If it turns out the driver who caused the accident does not have insurance, it can seem like a disaster. How will you pay your bills for medical care, auto repairs, lost wages and more? In Indiana, there is a type of auto insurance you can get in case something like this happens to you. It’s called uninsured/underinsured motorist’s insurance, or UM/UIM. In fact, the law requires a newly-written collision insurance policy to include uninsured coverage unless the insured person rejects it in writing. Its purpose is to make sure you can get at least some compensation after a serious collision with an uninsured or underinsured person. Having this added to your policy might save you from having to seek bankruptcy protection someday due to overwhelming debt from your accident. The Level of Coverage You Will Get State law requires UM/UIM insurance to have the following minimum liability limits:…Read More

Most drivers understand what behaviors put them at risk. However, many continue to engage in potentially dangerous driving habits, sometimes without even having an awareness that what they do poses a threat to their safety. Drowsy driving often falls into this category, with many drivers not understanding the exact risk levels of this behavior. How Does Drowsiness Affect the Body? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration examines the ways that drowsiness impacts driver safety. Drowsiness causes the body to react as it would when under the influence. For example, drowsy drivers often struggle with mobility and reflexes. They have a delayed reaction time and cannot notice or process potential dangers around them. On top of that, drowsy drivers may fall asleep at the wheel either for extended periods of time, or for 1 to 3 second windows of time called “microsleep”. In either case, it completely removes a driver’s ability to take in their surroundings or react to anything at all.…Read More

Most drivers learn to drive defensively in order to stay safe while on the road. One of the best ways to increase a person’s defensive driving is by them familiarizing themselves with the top ways a driver can get into a crash. Today, certain risks present a bigger or more prevalent hazard than others. It is important to understand these hazards in order to make good and safe driving choices. Distractions and Duis Huff Post examines some of the most common causes for crashes today. Many of the top causes likely ring a bell, as they garner much media attention. For example, distracted driving ranks as the top cause, which includes issues like texting while driving and drowsy driving. It also includes other behaviors that take one’s eyes off the road, like grooming, applying makeup or even eating or drinking. Drunk or intoxicated driving serves as another well-known cause of crashes, and unfortunately, it still takes a large number of lives annually to this…Read More

If you recently lost a loved one as a result of a drunk driver, your entire family could struggle with unbearable emotional pain for many years to come. Moreover, the financial toll of fatal drunk driving crashes can lead to lasting hardships, and the families of drunk driving accident victims deserve justice. It is important for drivers to review statistics on deadly drunk driving accidents in order to understand the scope of this problem. Sadly, reckless drivers who drink alcohol before getting behind the wheel will continue to cause more fatal accidents in the months and years to come. The Prevalence of Fatal Drunk Driving Accidents The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that over the course of 2019, more than 10,100 people lost their lives in fatal drunk driving accidents. Although these deaths represent a decrease in comparison to past years, this figure shows that many people continue to die due to intoxicated driving. To look at this data in…Read More

Those from Terre Haute, Indiana, know the dangers of I-70. While safe driving goes a long way in avoiding motor vehicle accidents, I-70 still manages to take the lives of many drivers and passengers. Unfortunately, many do not take the dangers of I-70 seriously until an accident happens to them. Why is I-70 Dangerous? The stretch of I-70 between Terre Haute and Indianapolis is rural and contains only two lanes, while shared by countless passenger vehicles and semi-trucks with speed limits at about 70 mph. According to the Tribune-Star, many locals avoid I-70 due to the dangers. In fact, in the last decade, school buses were pulled from I-70 due to hazards. Many expect the danger to increase because of the growth of the Terre Haute region. A new convention center and casino may attract about 1.5 million visitors to Terre Haute, increasing traffic on the highway. What Can Increase the Safety of I-70? According to WTHI, 82 crashes occurred in 2020 between MM…Read More

Every year, hundreds of people in the state of Indiana are killed in drunk driving accidents. This number only increases during the holiday season when countless people get on the road after drinking with friends and loved ones. To curb the epidemic of drunk driving, police officers have announced a zero-tolerance policy during the holiday season. How Are Officers Trying to Keep People Safe on the Road? In 2019, there were over 400 drunk driving accidents in the month of December alone. Over 100 people were injured, and 11 people lost their lives. As a result, officers in Indiana are tightening the restrictions on drunk drivers. They’ve announced a zero-tolerance policy for anyone who drives under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If you’ve been drinking, expect to get pulled over, and the consequences might include fines and jail time. This also includes people who are under the influence of drugs whether it’s an illegal drug like heroin or a…Read More