Nov 21, 2018 | By Young Wooldridge | Read Time: 2 minutes | Personal Injury Attorney

Personal Injury Lawyer │ Thanksgiving Cooking Safety

Personal Injury Lawyer │ Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means it is time again to join loved ones for a delicious home-cooked meal.  While entertaining family and friends during the holidays can be fun, it is important that we not forget about basic kitchen safety during the festivities. According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking fires are three times more likely on Thanksgiving Day than on any other day of the year.  In 2016, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,570 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving. Here are a few safety tips to follow that will minimize your risk in the kitchen and ensure that your holiday feast is prepared as smoothly – and safely! – as possible. Before Cooking Begins Start the day off by making proper attire choices. Cooks should avoid loose clothing and dangling sleeves while preparing food. Test all smoke alarms in the home and replace batteries, if necessary. Smoke alarms should be located near the kitchen, on each level of the home, and near sleeping areas. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Contact a local fire department to learn about the proper use of fire extinguishers. While in the Kitchen  Check food regularly and remain in the home while cooking. Use a timer as a reminder that the stove or oven is on. Be sure to stay in the kitchen if you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you are simmering, baking roasting or broiling food, remain in the home. Keep all flammable items away from the stove, oven, or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat. This includes pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or even curtains. Children should stay away from the cooking area. Enforce a “kid-free” zone and have kids stay at least three feet away from the stove After You’ve Finished Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off. Don’t forget to include these safety tips on your Thanksgiving menu to reduce the risk of injury to you and your loved ones. If an injury occurs due to the negligence of another or a faulty product, call to schedule a free initial consultation with a Personal Injury Lawyer at Young Wooldridge, LLP. From our family to yours, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving with your loved ones.

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Nov 10, 2018 | By Young Wooldridge | Read Time: 2 minutes | Personal Injury

Personal Injury Attorney | Drowsy Driving Prevention

Bakersfield Personal Injury Attorney helping drivers reduce their risk on the road when it comes to drowsy driving. Personal Injury Attorney | Drowsy drivers are a dangerous addition to America’s roads. With nearly one-quarter of American adults saying that they know someone who has fallen asleep at the wheel, it’s no wonder that drowsy driving has become an increasingly concerning issue on our nation’s roads. From 2011 to 2015, 4,121 lives were claimed due to car accidents related to drowsy driving. The National Safety Council warns against these symptoms of drowsy driving: Frequent yawning or difficulty keeping your eyes open “Nodding off” or having trouble keeping your head up Inability to remember driving the last few miles Missing road signs or turns Difficulty maintaining your speed Drifting out of your lane One staggering statistic from the American Sleep Foundation tells us that more than half of all U.S. drivers admit to consistently operating a vehicle while feeling drowsy. Drowsy driving can be hazardous to you, your passengers and other motorists around you. Driving when fatigued affects awareness and attention behind the wheel and greatly reduces the driver’s reaction time. Our team of Personal Injury Attorneys advise you to follow these safety tips to prevent drowsy driving and reduce your risk on the road.   Remember the following tips and help put an end to tragic drowsy driving accidents. If you’ve been awake for 24 hours or more, do not drive. It isn’t safe. Travel during times you are normally awake. If you feel fatigued, stop and drink something with caffeine. Make sure you are not fatigued by any medications you might be taking. If you are, use public transportation instead. On long road trips, make a pit stop every 100 miles (or every two hours) to stretch, get something to eat or drink and break up the monotony of the road. If you simply cannot shake your exhaustion, stop and nap in a safe place. Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep every night. For many of us, stress, responsibility and distractions make it hard to get this recommended amount. That means that many of us are susceptible to drowsy driving much of the time. Statistics show us that men are slightly more at risk for fatigued driving as are people between the ages of 18 and 25. Most fall asleep accidents happen at high speeds, on long road trips or rural highways. Armed with this knowledge and the above warning signs and safety tips, you can help to reduce the number of drowsy drivers on the road. If you have suffered a personal injury due to drowsy driving, contact The Personal Injury Department at Young Wooldridge, LLP. A personal injury attorney at Young Wooldridge, LLP can inform you of legal options you may not know you have.

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Oct 15, 2018 | By Young Wooldridge | Read Time: 2 minutes | Personal Injury

Personal Injury Lawyer | Basic School Bus Safety

An experienced Personal Injury Lawyer can inform you of your rights if your child is injured on a school bus due to negligence.  Personal Injury Lawyer | School buses are the safest form of travel for children going to school. By taking an average of 36 cars off the road per bus, school buses aren’t only decreasing car accidents for children, they’re decreasing traffic and subsequent accidents, in general. However, as with any motor vehicle, school bus accidents do occur. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, four to six school-age children die each year and about 17,000 children are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with school buses. School bus injuries can occur when children are riding the bus, getting on or off the bus, or just standing near the bus. Understandably, some parents can be apprehensive about putting their children on school buses each day. To help dissuade some of their concerns, parents can follow and talk about some recommended practical safety measures with their school-aged children before sending them off to ride the bus. To limit risk and ensure the safest ride to school for your child, teach them to practice these safety guidelines: When Riding the Bus: If seat belts are available on the bus, buckle up. Stay in your seat. Wait until the bus has come to a complete stop before exiting. Don’t yell, speak loudly or make abrupt noises that may distract the driver. Keep your hands, arms, and heads inside the bus at all times. Getting On and Off the Bus: Stand away from the street as the bus approaches. When crossing the street before boarding or after exiting, teach kids to make sure the bus driver indicates it is safe to cross. Children should always walk in front of a school bus. Teach them to look left, right and left again before crossing. Bus Stop Safety: Walk children to the bus stop and wait with them until the bus arrives. Make sure that your bus stop and the children waiting are highly visible to other neighborhood drivers. Drivers should always exercise extreme caution around school buses. Although motorists are required, by law, to stop and wait for a school bus and exiting or boarding children, more school-aged pedestrians are killed in the hour before and after school than any other time of day. Every motorist should expect that children boarding or exiting the bus are not paying attention to other vehicles as they cross the street. If you or someone you love has suffered a personal injury involving a school bus, contact the Personal Injury Department at Young Wooldridge, LLP. A personal injury lawyer at Young Wooldridge, LLP can inform you of legal options you may not know you have.

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