While you may think of yourself as a creature of habit, the truth is people do alter their behaviors throughout the year. In fact, for most of us, we change as the seasons change. For example, in winter people tend to gravitate towards sports like skiing, ice skating, and hockey while in summer, swimming, and tennis are popular. The same adage holds with accidents. While some types of accidents occur equally throughout the year, other types tend to be more occur most often in one or two specific seasons. To reduce your risk of becoming a victim, you can familiarize yourself with these seasonal dangers. The unique set of hazards each season presents are as follows:
WINTER
Winter is the season that some people love, and others loathe. But whether you are a hater or a lover of the season, the fact is winter does come with cold weather, snow, ice and of course, various combinations of latter two. This wintry mix of precipitation combined with frigid temperatures can make for treacherous driving conditions. But what makes winter driving even more dangerous is the combination of bad weather and intoxicated drivers. Winter sees a lot of drunk driving accidents with people choosing to drink and drive after holiday gatherings, New Year’s parties, and the Super Bowl. Remember there is no excuse for driving under the influence.
SPRING
After the cold of winter, people are generally excited to feel the warmer air and see signs of life returning. As the spring rains wash away the last of the salt, the roads and sidewalks are finally clear to use your bicycle or go for a walk. The bad news is that bicycle, and pedestrian accidents see an increase in spring which continues into the summer months. Pedestrians and cyclists can protect themselves by wearing reflective clothing and always try to cross the road at the corner or a designated crosswalk.
SUMMER
For much of the country, summer weather is the nicest of the year. The warm sunny days practically beg one to get outside. However, sometimes the heat can become a bit too much, and the only way to cool down is to go swimming. While indoor swimming pools are open year round, outdoor pools are generally only open during the summer. For these two reasons, there is an increase in swimming pool accidents and water-related injuries during the summer. Boating accidents also see an increase in the summertime as more people are on family vacations since the kids are out of school.
Motorcycle accidents also see an increase in the summer months. Even though motorcycle accidents happen all year round, especially in warm-weather states like Arizona and Florida, for riders in the Midwest winter weather makes riding less popular. But once the weather improves, riders hit the road. June is notoriously dangerous for riders. Rides should always brush up on their safety skills before taking the bike out for the season.
FALL
Fall is the season when the leaves change color, and there is a certain crispness in the air. It is also the time of year when children head back to school which coincides with a spike in school playground injuries. The start of the school year also means that there are more children traveling in buses and walking to and from school, which can increase the number of child pedestrian-related accidents and school bus accidents. To keep your child out of harm’s way, review proper safety measures for crossing the street and how to be safe around school buses.
No matter what season it is, if you have suffered serious injuries after being involved in an accident, it is important to contact a skilled Kansas City Injury Attorney. Only a seasoned Kansas City Injury attorney can protect your rights! Turn to the Kansas City Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. who have more than 60 years of combined experience helping accident victims in both Kansas and Missouri. Our trusted team of Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys will fight to make sure you receive proper compensation for your injuries. Contact Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. today at (816) 472-4673.