Toronto Injury Lawyer Blog
Yes. I know. Cute Game of Thrones reference. Which, by the way, season # 4 is scheduled to begin in early 2014 and…spoiler alert…the first episode will feature the death of an important character. Who you ask? You’ll have to wait and see.
In any event, the temperature is dropping across Ontario. I visited the Peterborough Regional Health Sciences Centre earlier this week and it was COLD. I was in Mississauga Friday for a discovery and it was COLD. I was in London this week and it was COLD. A client of mine from the Kitchener-Waterloo area told me that it had snowed 10cm overnight. I’m told that it was snowing in Barrie and in parts of Northern Ontario. Winter’s coming to the Province, if it’s not already here.
So, before the streets and sidewalks get too messy to drive on, here’s a friendly reminder of what you should do in order to be safe this winter on our roads.
1. Invest in a set of winter tires: Winter tires will increase your grip on slippery, snowy and icey roads. They’re designed to perform better in cold weather. Winter tires nowadays aren’t as expensive as they used to be. They’re also the law in Quebec during the winter season. Just because they aren’t the law here in Ontario, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get a set. Full disclosure: I’m not an investor in a tire company like Bridgestone, Blizzac, Michelin or Goodyear. I’ve just seen from first hand experience what happens when driving with winter tires vs. what happens when not driving with winter tires. It’s a life saver, and one of our law firm’s top recommendations in order to prevent winter time car accidents.
2. Go Shopping for Winter Boots: While you have your wallets open to purchase new winter tires, you may as well keep them open and buy a pair of good winter boots. You wouldn’t believe the amount of people we see coming to our office reporting bad slip and fall accidents during the winter. When we ask them what sort of footwear they were wearing, they often tell me that they were wearing sandals, crocs or running shoes. Winter boots provide better grip on snow and ice, along with better ankle support than a pair of sandals. Think of winter boots as winter tires for your feet. On top of that, the selection of winter boots being put out nowadays is much more stylish than what you would have seen in years past. So stay safe and stay on fasion trend and get a good pair of winter boots. Your ankles will thank me.
3. Slow down: Whether you’re walking, running, jumping, jogging, cycling or driving, just SLOW DOWN in the winter. I guarantee that your grip when the temperatures plummet isn’t as good as it is when it’s warmer outside. It’s just plain physics. Less grip means greater chance of losing control of your vehicle or falling to the ground if on foot.
4. Get your car ready for the winter: : Anti-freeze, brake checks, tire inspections, wind shield wiper replacements. Get it all done. Nows a good time.
5. Don’t drink and drive: There are lots of parties in the winter months. Holiday parties at the office, with friends and family. They all might involve alcohol. It’s never too early to get the holiday message out there now. Don’t drink and drive. Take a cab. Stay overnight. Get a designated driver. Take transit. It’s ok to leave your car somehwere overnight. Even if you get a parking ticket. That $75 Municipal parking ticket is nothing compared to the criminal charges and lawyers fees you might have to pay to bail you out of jail if you’re caught drinking and driving. Not to mention that you’re putting your life, along with the lives of other innocent people at risk every time you get behind the wheel while drunk.
6. Be Nice: Clear your ice: Visitors who come to your house and sustain a slip and fall on your walkway on ice may sue you for the injuries. They will have a case against you because as the property owner, you have an obligation under the Occupier’s Liability Act to make your premises safe for visitors. That means clearing your ice, salting and sanding. Many Municipalities across Ontario also contain provisions in their bi laws that the owner of a property is also responsible for clearing the ice on the sidewalk in front of their home. Check with your local municipality to better understand the bi laws where you live.
Accidents happen. That’s why they’re called accidents. But following these simple tips may reduce your likelihood of being involved in such an accident and sustaining injury; thus requiring the assistance of a personal injury lawyer. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give is a call toll free at 1-877-730-1777 or email us at info@goldfingerlaw.com
How’s Toronto’s basketball team doing? Just terribly which pleases me. Keep in mind, that the worse they do, the greater the chance of landing a top pick in the next draft. The team, as presently structured is NOT structured to lose. On the contrary, they actually have a pretty decent team compared to other teams around the Eastern Conference. But even with their talent, they’re still losing. I think that a name change is in order, as the team was conceived at the time the moving Jurassic Park was coming out. The dinosaur theme played in to that, and had little to do with the City of Toronto’s heritage or culture. What does a Raptor have to do with Toronto? Was Toronto a hot bed of Raptors back in the dinosaur age? I don’t think so.
And even more fun than discussing Toronto’s basketball team is discussing Toronto’s mayor; Rob Ford. All I know is that so long as Rob Ford remains in office, I’ll never have to buy a ticket to the circus again because I can see it for free every waking hour at City Hall. There’s no better entertainment. There’s no better reality TV. You get the mayor you elect, and Toronto knew or ought to have known they voted in a train wreck personality before he was elected to office. It was common knowledge before Rob Ford became mayor that he was arrested in Florida for shennanigans, and some weird quirks to say the least. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
