How To Safely Pack Your Car For Vacation – Our Top Tips And Advice

Summertime in Wisconsin is perfect for enjoying time on the water. Whether you are setting sail on a family-friendly pontoon, fishing boat, or old canoe, a day on the lake just can’t be beaten.

However, there are safety risks involved with boating. Speeding, negligence, drinking, and inexperience are all common causes of boating accidents in Wisconsin. In this post, we want to share a few tips to help you stay safe on the water this summer.

How to Stay Safe While Boating in Wisconsin

Wearing a life jacket - According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 80% of boating accident deaths could be avoided by wearing life jackets. When a boating accident occurs, you have limited time to stretch and get your stowed life jackets. Therefore, it is advisable to ensure that you and everyone on board has a life jacket while boating.
Avoid drinking alcohol - Alcohol consumption while boating is illegal and endangers the lives of everyone on board. Remember that intoxicated swimmers and passengers are also more likely to drown.
Be weather-wise - Whether you are operating a boat during the summer, spring or fall season, always consider carrying a radio and watching out for the weather. Sometimes, wind shifts and choppy water can be telltale signs of a brewing storm. Get to shore as soon as you realize the weather is about to change.
Don’t overload the boat - It’s essential to follow your boat’s load limit restrictions. Overloading your boat can make it unstable and surge the risk of swamping or capsizing.
Ensure all operators are trained - Human error is a leading cause of boating accidents. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that all operators can effectively navigate and operate the boat. You can do this by ensuring boating operators take a boating safety course that includes reading the weather, boat handling, and navigation.
Maintain a safe speed - Like on the road, you can face penalties or fines for overspeeding on the water. Since there are no lanes on water and different water vessels zig-zag everywhere, it can be challenging for speeding boats to avoid collisions. Therefore, it is essential to ensure you excess caution and obey the speed limits.

What Should You Do After a Boating Accident?

After a boating accident, you should ensure that everyone on board is safe. If there are injuries, loss of life, property damage in excess of $2,000 or the total loss of a boat, you are required to report the incident to law enforcement without delay.

As with other accidents, it is essential to gather evidence immediately. You need to collect police reports, witness testimonies, videos, and photos of the scene. A Milwaukee boating accident attorney will help you gather the evidence you need to establish a strong case against the party at fault.

Contact a Milwaukee Boating Accident Attorney

At Natasha Misra Law, we are ready to help you get the compensation you need to move forward after a boat accident. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can assist in strengthening your case.

Many Wisconsin families are going to be packing up and driving out of town for vacation this summer. If you’re one of them, we hope you enjoy your trip! And Natasha Misra Law is here with some simple car packing tips you can use to pack up safely and make sure your trip goes off without a hitch.

1. Pack Your Trunk Wisely

As a rule, it’s best to pack heavy items first, such as suitcases, coolers full of food and ice, and plastic tote boxes. Place these items closer to the center of the trunk. Then, pack lighter items around these heavy items – things like garment bags and shoe bags, groceries, and other such items.

This helps ensure the weight of your car is distributed evenly, which reduces the risk of tipping in an accident, and keeps the car stable.

Also, avoid packing things too high. Items can obstruct the drivers’ vision through the rear-view mirror. Under sudden braking, items packed up high could be thrown forward, striking anyone sitting in the back seat.

2. Properly Secure Rooftop Containers, Bike Racks & Other External Cargo

If you have a rooftop cargo container, a bike rack, or a rear storage rack for your car, make sure it’s properly installed and secured.

Remember, external cargo racks are going to be blown around by wind speeds in excess of 75 mph. Make sure they’re completely secure before setting out. You should also make sure that you’re not exceeding the manufacturer’s load limits for cargo racks.

3. Make Sure Your Trailer (And Your Car Or Truck) Are In Good Shape Before Traveling

If you’re towing a trailer, make sure it’s in good overall condition, hitches up to your car or truck properly, has functioning lights, and has fully inflated tires. Use safety chains to attach it to your hitch, and check it periodically throughout your trip to make sure everything looks good.

For that matter, you also should make sure your car is in good shape with properly inflated tires that have plenty of tread life left, topped-up fluids, and no mechanical issues that could interfere with your trip. A quick trip to the mechanic may be in order!

4. Remember That Heavy Cars Take Longer To Stop – Pack Light!

Stuffing your car full of suitcases and luggage – and additional family members – means that you’ll be adding quite a bit of weight to your vehicle. If your car is packed to the brim, you could add hundreds of pounds to its weight.

This will affect how your car handles. It will take longer to stop and to accelerate, and turns may also feel a bit different. Keep this in mind, and drive accordingly. You also should consider reducing how much stuff you bring to lighten the load.

Stay Safe On The Roads This Summer With These Tips!

We hope these tips have helped you prepare for your next road trip. And remember, if you need a Milwaukee car accident attorney, Natasha Misra Law is always here for you. Contact us online or call us at 414-246-9707 to discuss your situation and get a free case review.

Natasha Misra

My law practice is dedicated to helping people who have suffered injuries in accidents which were not their fault. Born and raised in Milwaukee, I come from a family of medical professionals. My background and experience help me understand and represent individuals injured in accidents.