A Santa Clarita personal injury lawyer is offering motorists who are planning to travel during the holiday season safety tips to help prevent both serious and minor car crashes.

Rick Patterson, a founding partner of Owen, Patterson & Owen in Valencia, noted that in addition to an increased number of vehicles on the road, a major contributor to heavy traffic over holiday weekends is the prevalence of fender benders and major crashes alike.

“I think a lot of the main reasons the traffic gets slowed up of course is because of accidents,” Patterson said. “So we can help with the traffic problem by driving safely and being alert. I think it’s a good idea to drive as if we’re teaching a teenager how to drive for the first time.”

Patterson emphasized the importance of constantly scanning one’s surroundings, remaining free of distractions, signalling 100-200 feet before making a lane change, keeping a safe distance from the car ahead so there is time to stop if needed, and not driving late at night when tired.

“Prepare for what might happen,” he said. “Act if you have to, to avoid the accident.”

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Another key component of staying safe during the holiday season is to always have a designated driver if alcohol is involved in the festivities, according to Patterson.

“It’s one of those things that just needs to be repeated,” he said. “Those accidents are usually the ones that are much more serious, because people lose their sense of speed, control and ability to maneuver and avoid accidents. So that would be, I think, right at the top of any party givers list.”

If a car crash does occur, Patterson advises first moving to safety if possible, contacting authorities and insurance companies, and then considering contacting an attorney in the case of serious injuries when a claim may need to be filed.

“If there’s serious injury, it is difficult to think ahead as to what should be done,” he said. “You should think first of all on saving your life, getting (medical treatment), getting to the hospital, but at some point you have to recognize — or your loved ones have to recognize — that gathering information, getting evidence, getting statements, taking photographs is something that should be done.”

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These things should always be done by a trained, licensed professional — such as the investigators Owen, Patterson & Owen provides for their clients — with timeliness a key factor in the preservation of evidence, according to Patterson.  

“It’s much more of an advantage for us to get the facts (when they are) fresh, get them recorded and be able to repeat that at a later date when memories fade, or when witnesses hear other things … (and) that begins to cloud their recollection and memories,” Patterson said. “So we try to preserve all that and try to preserve the evidence.”

To contact a Santa Clarita personal injury lawyer at Owen, Patterson & Owen, call the law firm at 661-799-3899 or click here for the website.

Owen, Patterson & Owen

23822 West Valencia Boulevard, Suite 303

Valencia, CA 91355

661-799-3899

Owen, Patterson & Owen, Valencia

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