Summer is officially coming to a close. Many people use Labor Day Weekend as their last “hoorah” of summer before settling in for football season, pumpkin patches, and cooler days. As an estimated 35.5 million Americans travel over Labor Day Weekend, we at Keller & Keller wanted to wish our clients and friends a safe holiday by providing some useful safety tips.
The Labor Day Road Trip
It is no surprise that Labor Day weekend is one of the busiest weekends for roadway travel. If traveling in a car with your entire family isn’t enough, add traffic jams, construction, and police speed traps to the mix. In order to make sure your Labor Day road trip goes as smoothly as possible (sibling back seat fighting aside) follow these tips:
Stay Safe–Get Your Vehicle A Tune-Up
Before you hit the road, make sure that your car is in good condition. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests checking getting your car 
thoroughly serviced to check for:
- Tire pressure and tread wear
- Make sure that all lights including turn signals are working
- Check coolant levels
- Check all fluids including oil, brake, transmission, power steering and windshield washer
- Check belts and hoses for condition and loose fitting
- Make sure wiper blades are in good condition
- Check that air conditioner is running properly
Get A Good Night’s Sleep Before Your Labor Day Road Trip
Drowsy driving is incredibly dangerous. According to the NHTSA, drowsy driving contributes to over 100,000 accidents annually. Make sure that you are well rested before you get behind the wheel, and if you start to feel tired, have another adult in the car with whom you can trade off.
Make Sure Child Seats Are Properly Installed
We've discussed the importance of child safety seats before, but it bears repeating again. Having your child secured in the proper safety seat can save their life in the event of an accident. Once the right seat is selected, make sure that it is installed correctly and double check it before you pull out of the driveway. If you aren’t 100% sure that your child’s seat is installed correctly, contact 866-SEAT-CHECK to find a nearby location for a seat inspection.
Put Your Phone Away When Driving
The use of cell phones while driving has become a major problem and is leading to thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries every year . Don’t risk your life or your passengers’ lives by taking a chance to send a text message, take a phone call or look up directions. Designate a passenger to be your guide and have them give directions.
Safety On The Lake
The lake is an ever-popular Labor Day destination and though fun in the sun sounds relaxing, there are many dangers to be aware of. Make sure that you swim only in designated areas, keep a vigilant eye on children and weak swimmers and wear a floatation device. The American Red Cross is a great resource information about water
safety. Boating can be a very dangerous activity especially when the lake is crowded. Make sure that your captain is experienced and knowledgeable about the vessel he is driving, check the weather to make sure you don’t get trapped in a storm, and ALWAYS make sure there are enough life vests for everyone on board. Discoverboating.com provides several tips for boaters of all skill levels and even provides a fun quiz for beginning boaters.
Grilling Safety Tips
When you think of any essential American holiday like Labor Day, you immediately think of grilled hot dogs and hamburgers (at least we do). Each year, outdoor grilling causes an average of 8,900 home fires according to the National Fire Protection Association. In order to avoid a tragic mishap, make sure to do the following:
- Grill outside and away from structures
- Make sure your grill is stable and on a flat surface
- Keep your grill clean and remove grease
- Check for propane leaks
- If the flame goes out, turn the gas and grill off and wait 5 minutes to re-light
- Be ready to put out a fire; keep a fire extinguisher near the grill
Labor Day is a national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. At Keller & Keller, our Indianapolis personal injury attorney team thanks all of our employees, clients and friends for their work and wish them all a happy AND SAFE holiday weekend.
