We Americans are multi-taskers. Unfortunately, too many people attempt to multi-task while driving, when they should be focused on the road and those sharing it with them.

Texting and talking on the phone are considered the biggest distracted driving risks. Both are illegal with a hand-held device in New Mexico. However, there are other habits that too many drivers have that distract them and can lead to serious and even fatal crashes.

— Touchscreen systems: Most new vehicles provide a multitude of options at our fingertips. These include music, navigation systems, phones and social media. It can be tempting, particularly on a long drive or while stuck in traffic, to check your email or make a quick call. However, even a touchscreen system requires that you take a hand off the wheel and/or focus your eyes or attention on something besides the road.– Dealing with kids: Even if your children are safely strapped in and being entertained by a DVD in the back seat, they often have a short attention span. It’s difficult to ignore the questions and complaints of your children, but it’s essential to keep your eyes and mind on the road. If there’s an issue that needs dealing with, pull safely off the road to attend to the problem.

— Eating and drinking: We’ve almost all been guilty of this at some point, particularly with drive-thru Starbucks and fast food chains everywhere. Even if you don’t chow down on your burger on the way back to the office, you probably sneak a French fry or two or enjoy your beverage. It’s a timesaver, to be sure, but can also be dangerous to you, your passengers and others. Either pull into a parking space to enjoy your food and drink or wait until you get to your destination.

— Grooming: Many people rush out to work in the morning without all their make-up done or their hair properly brushed. It’s tempting to make these finishing touches at stoplights or while stuck in traffic. Either allow yourself more time in the morning before you leave for this or wait until you’re at your destination.

If you’ve been injured in a crash caused by a negligent or reckless driver, your attorney can help work to determine whether the at-fault driver was engaged in distracted driving. This can help you get the compensation you need and deserve.

With the Fourth of July holiday drawing near, chances are that freeways will be clogged again with weekend vacation traffic. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA) more than 40 million people will travel at least 50 miles to a destination, with a majority doing so by car.

If you are looking to take the entire week off in order to avoid holiday traffic, you may already have company. With the holiday being on a Tuesday, many people intend to make it a long holiday weekend by leaving on Friday. As such, the weekend poses a genuine threat to drivers given then large number of distracted drivers, drowsy drivers, and of course, drunk drivers on the road. In fact, the Fourth of July holiday is widely regarded as the dangerous holiday driving period; likely second to only New Year’s Eve.

Despite these hazards, drivers can do a number of things to stay safe. This post will highlight them.

Avoid aggressive driving – If you have to slog through slow traffic to get to your destination, just go with the flow.  Tailgating, speeding and aggressive lane changes often lead to accidents.

Put down the cell phone – The directional apps we enjoy may keep us from getting lost, but they may take your attention away from the road. Also, California law prohibits cell phone use in the car without a hands-free system.

Wear your seatbelt –New Mexico law requires that all occupants in a car wear their seatbelts. Countless statistics show how they save lives, but still many don’t use them.

We wish our readers a safe holiday weekend. If you have questions about your rights and options after a car accident, we invite you to contact us.

Unfortunately, may drivers in New Mexico are uninsured or underinsured. If an uninsured or underinsured driver causes a car accident and you or your loved ones are hurt or injured, you will likely have no way to pay for your medical bills, lost time from work and pain and suffering. How can you protect yourself and your loved ones? Aside from hiring an excellent car accident attorney, you need to cover your bases. And you can’t cover your bases unless you have purchased adequate underinsured/uninsured coverage (lets call it “UIM” coverage or insurance).

What does UIM coverage do for you? Well, if an irresponsible driver without insurance hits you, UIM coverage provides you with insurance coverage. If you didn’t have UIM insurance and an uninsured driver hit you, you would be out of luck and not have insurance coverage. If a person with the minimum insurance policy coverage hits you ($25,000 is the minimum in New Mexico) and you have $100, 000 in medical bills, you will need UIM coverage to make up the difference. So, what can you do to protect yourself? Always buy as much insurance as you can afford. Hospitals are incredibly expensive, doctors and physical therapists too.

When you buy your insurance policy, you will be asked if you want to decline UIM coverage. DON’T! Always accept it and always match it to your underlying coverage. For example, if you purchased $100,000 in coverage, your UIM would match that up to $100,o00. If you own multiple cars, you can get the benefits of stacking those UIM policies. Tune in tomorrow and I’ll talk a bit about stacking in New Mexico. Remember ALWAYS buy as much insurance as you can afford and always accept matching UIM coverage. If you have been insured because of someone else’s irresponsible actions, call the Crecca Law Firm for help in protecting your rights. We will work with you to deal with the insurance company and get you the compensation you need to help you put your life back together.