No one wants to get caught red handed for texting while driving on the road. Not only is texting while driving extremely dangerous while operating a moving vehicle, but it puts the lives of other people around you at risk for serious injury or worse consequences. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving was a cause of roughly 424,000 accident-related injuries and about 3,154 fatalities in the year of 2013 alone. That’s an extremely high number of incidents that could have been prevented if either driver put their phone, snack or GPS down and focused all their attention on the road. As this information comes from only public police records, the amount of actual accidents and deaths related to reckless driving is likely to be even higher than these figures.

In the age of constant phone notifications interrupting our day, it can be extremely hard to not put down our phones and prevent distracted driving. Since we often have to step inside a car to get to our work, school or pick up a friend learning how to drive without being impaired could save a life. Every state in the country carries its own laws for not driving with full attention, so it’s crucial to understand where your region stands on the dangers of distracted driving before its too late. Overall, get educated about what factors contribute to distracted driving the most so you can keep yourself and your loved ones safe!

Don’t text and drive, especially if you’re distracted.

Types Of Distracted Driving 

Distracted driving statistics show that the majority of people have either had a phone call, texted, or checked social media while driving a moving vehicle on the road. If you’re just driving down the neighborhood block, the risk of getting into a crash may not seem that high. If you’re driving at sixty to seventy miles per hour on the highway, even glancing at your phone for a few seconds can put your safety at severe risk of crash.

Experts say that there are three main types of distracted driving that contribute to crashes, injuries and deaths in the worst case. These include distractions that negatively affect a person’s cognitive, visual, and manual abilities while operating a vehicle. Cognitive or mental distraction describes the scenario when a driver’s mind isn’t focused on driving. They may be looking at the road, but their mind may be focusing on a tough day at work or an argument with a spouse. They may be talking loudly to another passenger or become busy with a phone call with a coworker, child, or friend that takes up the majority of their capacity. As their mind starts to wander from the changing dynamic of the road, their awareness of surrounds can severely decline. While music or listening to the radio may be safe, blasting the latest tunes and singing along could pose enough of a distraction to not notice a driver suddenly slowing down or swerving too close to the vehicle.

The second type of distracted driving includes the most common impairment of decreased visual awareness. Visual distraction occurs when a driver looks at anything other than the road ahead such as their GPS, phones, laptops, a magazine, their daily agenda, or even their outfit of the day. Make sure any notifications are put on airplane mode or put your devices on “do not disturb” mode while driving so abrupt messages won’t impair your driving judgement. Even if we think we’re invincible to the grasp of texting while driving, a flirty text from a crush or an urgent question from a family member can be enough to spike our stress levels and make us grab our phone. Make sure you take care of any strong emotions or practice de-stressing before stepping out on a driving trip. Operating a car, truck or SUV can all lead to an accident or possible fatality if you can’t make sound judgements from your mind.

The last version of distracted driving revolves around manual deficiencies. Manual distraction is when the driver takes one or both hands off the wheel, plays around with their feet on the gas pedal, picks up a snack to eat, or even chugs a drink. It’s best to wait until your vehicle as at a stop light or a complete stop to engage in these activities as any sudden movements can throw the entire machine off balance. If you’re someone who regularly drinks coffee in the car on the way to work, wait until your car is sitting in traffic or until you’re closer to your destination before feeding your caffeine craving. Any hand off the wheel increases the chances of losing control and engaging in an unwanted crash. No one wants to start their day off with an expensive damage or totaled car to get fixed!

Staying Safe On The Road

Let’s all make a promise to keep each other as safe as possible while driving. Whenever you step in the car and get on the road, it’s your responsibility to prevent distracted driving behavior and stay highly alert to your surroundings. Make sure you are buckled up and so is everyone else in vehicle. Put down your phone and turn down your music so you know what is happening around you. The entire landscape of the road can suddenly change in any second and you want to be the first one to react to movements of other drivers. Since you can’t trust that surrounding drivers are as alert, you’ll also have to practice even more caution while driving in urban areas or during a heavy commute. Think of any possibilities and drive slower if you can while keeping a healthy distance from the vehicle in front. You’ll be happy staying safe while having a vehicle that withstands your countless trips on the road!

Home safety is one of the most important things to consider when buying a home, especially if you have a family. If you do not feel safe in your own home then you should ask yourself how you can make it safer. Making sure that the locks on the house are up to your standards is one way to start feeling more secure at home. There are a lot of efficient locksmith services that can give you great recommendations and advice about what locks you should be using. When looking for a lock make sure you do your research and know exactly what you want before you dive right into the purchase.

How are locks graded?

Locks are graded by three different ratings. This is based on the ANSI rating of Grade 1, Grade 2 or Grade 3. A grade 1 lock can provide basic residential security, although it may be worth getting a higher grade lock for safety purposes. Having a grade 2 lock installed is definitely better than Grade 1; this type of lock can be used for light commercial applications. Finally a grade 3 lock is the highest grade and is suitable for both residential and commercial use. If you currently own a Grade 1 lock is it best to get one of these replaced. This can also be dependent on its condition, however when it comes to keeping my valuables safe and my family, I would never risk it because I didn’t want to purchase something a little pricier. If you are serious about getting your locks changed in the near future check out ABC Locksmith Clearwater. Not only do they provide you with up to date relevant information, but they have the knowledge you require if you were to get your home locks changed. They offer efficient locksmith services, ranging from locks for residential homes, automobiles and commercial properties.

What to look for when buying a house

If you want to buy a new home and you notice the locks are not up to your standard it is a no brainer to get them replaced. Having locks replaced for better quality locks and newer ones can give you the peace of mind you need at home. It is your responsibility to learn about locks and to know which ones you want to have in your home. Even if you don’t know that much you can find a locksmith service that can help you. Don’t depend on anyone else to tell you to replace the locks; safety at home is something that should not be taken lightly. Make sure if you are a new home owner to get them replaced by an efficient locksmith service!

Once you bring a gun home you start to carry a responsibility to keep it in safe place at all times. One of the precautions you can take to keep you and your family out of harm’s way is installing a gun safe. In my opinion having a gun safe can only have a positive impact, it may be a slight annoyance if you do not have much space at home, but this is the choice you have to make in order to protect yourself and your family. There are many trusted local locksmiths around the United States that can help you pick the right gun safe based on what guns you own and the space you have available. Just because you buy a gun doesn’t mean you are magically safe, it is still a lethal weapon and should be taken care of properly.

The benefits of installing a gun safe 

Installing a gun safe can lead to much greater security for your household. If you have young children or animals in the house it is especially important to have one installed. It is not uncommon for a child to start playing with a gun thinking it is a toy; this can lead to fatal accidents which can easily be avoided by having a gun safe installed. Also if you have an animal they may start playing with the gun and running around with it causing it to fire. Another good reason for a safe is to hide the weapon in case of an emergency. No unauthorized visitors would have access to the gun, therefore you would not have to worry about being endanger if a guest was planning something or a break in occurred and the burglar grabbed it and tried to use it against you. Getting a safe installed is definitely a good idea, so I would highly suggest finding a trusted local locksmith if you need one for your gun. Locksmith Sarasota is a locksmith serviced based in Florida, they have a fully trained professional staff waiting to help you with whatever you need. No matter how big or small the safe, the style of the safe or the type of safe they will get it made and installed for you in no time.

Gun safes on the market 

When considering what safe you want to install you first need to know what your options are. Firstly you have to decide whether you want a small gun safe vs. a larger one. This will be dictated by the size and number of guns you have. Next comes the aesthetics of the safe and the type of style, this is more of a personal preference and what you like the look of. Finally you have to decide the type of lock you want on the safe. A manual spin lock is cheaper, however, it is more prone to human error and tough to see in the dark. An electronic lock is likely to last much longer than a manual lock and is easier to operate. In my opinion the electronic lock seems more practical of the two; it will save you time and hassle which can make a difference in the long run. Hopefully you take this advice into consideration and stay safe with a gun safe!