Light Peeping? Stay Safe With These Tips.

For many it’s an age old tradition, you hop in the car and you head out on an adventure to find the most stunning holiday lights displays in the area. Maybe you bring hot chocolate and listen to your favorite carols. It’s a joyous time, but if you’re not careful it could turn into a New Haven auto accident quite quickly.

We would never want to throw cold water on to a tradition that has been years in the making, nor do we want to make light peeping seem dangerous or scary, because it is anything but that, however, you should be aware of the dangers and how to avoid them so you can enjoy a quiet night out and about. So take a few minutes to look over these tips that will help keep you discovering ever more extravagant light shows every night from now until the end of the year.

Tip #1: Make a plan. When you head out it can be fun to just drive around and see what is out there, but without a plan you will have so many more opportunities for distractions. You may come across a light display that you weren’t expecting, take your eye off the road for even a split second and end up driving off the side of the road into a ditch. Not every stop has to be mapped out, but if you have a general idea of where you want to go and how you want to get there you will be able to focus on the road and when you do come upon a display that makes you say “WOAH” you can enjoy it safely.

Tip #2: Go slow. The light displays aren’t going anywhere and so you can take plenty of time to enjoy them without having to be worried about traffic building around you. A slow ride is much better then a speedy one which can put you in harm’s way and not allow you to completely enjoy the displays that you are trying to take in. If there is someone who is behind you that is not driving around looking at lights, just pull over to the side of the road, let them go past you and then you can continue to enjoy the displays without the stress of someone tailgating you.

Tip #3: Skip the hot chocolate. There is something magical about having a steaming cup of hot chocolate while driving around and looking at light displays, but it can also be quite dangerous. Of course your passengers can all enjoy a cup and you can too when you return home, but as the driver you should skip it. It’s a natural reaction when you sip something hot to get pushed back a little bit and if that reaction is too severe you may drop the drink in your lap which could lead to all sorts of issues and potentially a crash.

Tip #4: Pull over, don’t drive by. You may have a desire to see as many displays as you possibly can in one night, so it can be tempting to pass by a home and just slow down a little bit to peak at it on your way to the next bigger and better display, but this can lead you, the driver, to take your eyes off the road for just a split second which can lead to a dangerous situation where you are either running into on-coming traffic or swerving off the road which can cause a serious accident. If you are driving by a display, pull over, take it in and then get back on your route.

While there is no snow on the ground just yet and the likelihood of snow in Connecticut before the holiday season ends is slim, if it does snow this can add a whole other dimension to your ability to safely drive around looking at these displays. In a future post, we will cover what to do if you’re trying to get out and enjoy these lights while battling a recent snowfall.

In the event that you do have this tradition we want to make sure you are safe and joyous while traveling around. Follow the above tips and they will go a long way to keeping you free from a New Haven auto accident and keeping you and your family safe this holiday season.

Accidents do happen and if you happen to get into an accident, don’t hesitate to contact our office. Our experienced attorneys have worked on situations of all kinds and will be able to help you navigate the one you find yourself in. Contact us so we can work on helping you protect your long-term interests.