When summer days in West Virginia wind down, kids go back to school and major holidays loom ahead on the calendar. These forces increase traffic, especially with the addition of school buses, bicyclists and pedestrians. Hazards can pop up in urban, suburban or rural environments, and safe drivers observe best practices in all situations.

Stopped or slowing school buses require special attention. The law bars drivers from passing school buses that have their red lights flashing. Yellow lights on a school bus mean that drivers need to decrease speed. People should never make assumptions about what children will do near a bus. They might enter the road without looking or not use proper crosswalks.

Outside of school zones, accidents could happen near hidden driveways or alleys or because drivers stop paying attention. People can avoid losing focus by mindfully keeping their eyes moving. They should watch for any problems and monitor the taillights of vehicles ahead of them. This vigilance rewards drivers by giving them the ability to stop in time when unexpected things happen.

Drivers should also check their mirrors and monitor their blind spots. Vehicles or bicyclists could come up from behind at any moment. Staying on familiar roads whenever possible represents another good safety tactic.

Responsible drivers, however, might not be able to avoid every problem created by reckless and negligent drivers. A car accident caused by negligent driving could leave a person who was not at fault badly injured and inflict financial hardship. An attorney could advise a person who needs information about how to make an insurance claim. The legal advocate could handle organizing evidence and communicating with an insurer about the person’s medical expenses and lost income. If a responsible party proves uncooperative, an attorney could file a lawsuit to pursue damages.