Trauma Season Is Here – Please Drive And Act Safely

While more accidents happen in the winter, the most serious ones happen in the summer. As a result, trauma hospitals refer to the hospital’s busy season between Victoria Day and Labour Day as “Trauma Season.”

The good summer weather brings high-speed driving, and that, in turn, brings high-speed collisions. As you might expect, the most serious injuries arise from high-speed accidents.

The summer also brings out the motorcycle community. There is no such thing as a small motorcycle accident. A motorcycle lacks some of the safety devices available in cars, like airbags, seatbelts and a roof with doors! While a motorcycle helmet and proper equipment help to some extent, those involved in motorcycle accidents usually end up with major injuries.

All motorists, especially motorcyclists, should make sure they have enhanced insurance benefits available to protect them in the event that something goes wrong.

It is recommended that all motorists purchase optional benefits to ensure that they have more than the standard no-fault accident benefit policy. In addition, motorists should make sure that they have liability limits of at least $2 million to protect them if they happen to be legally responsible for an accident (as owner or operator) and to ensure that if an accident is caused by another driver who has insignificant insurance that they can rely on their own insurance for financial protection.

Alcohol and now legalized marijuana add a further element of danger, as does the student population being out of school.

Taverns should be mindful not to serve patrons to or past the point of intoxication. Taverns are at risk of being sued for overservice, leading to accidents.

Boating accidents are also common in the summer. New, improved boating laws increased the maximum compensation available in boating cases, but still, the enhanced available amount remains less than what is truly required for very serious injuries.

Please be careful this spring and summer. Drive carefully. Follow the speed limit. Have your seatbelt on. Don’t text and drive. Don’t drink and drive.

Enjoy the summer, but do so carefully. Let’s make this Trauma Season a safe one.

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Darcy Merkur is a highly regarded Ontario trauma lawyer helping accident victims such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorists who have sustained catastrophic injuries. 

Darcy is the first lawyer in Canada to be qualified as a Certified Brain Injury Specialist by the Brain Injury Association of America. In addition, Darcy has been recognized as a Certified Specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Ontario, is listed in peer-reviewed publications – Lexpert® and The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, is ranked AV pre-eminent in Martindale-Hubbell ® and is a partner at Thomson Rogers, one of Canada’s Top 10 Personal Injury Law Firms as selected by Canadian Lawyer Magazine. 

Darcy can be reached at 416-868-3176 or by email.