by California Casualty | Auto Insurance Info |
You let them get their license, and you’ve handed over the keys. But are they truly ready?
Sure, you set rules for when they drive, where they go, and who rides with them. You also taught them the dangers of distracted driving. But, have you taught them about the 3,000lb piece of machinery that they are now handling?
Driving responsibility doesn’t stop with passing the driver’s test, turning down the radio, adjusting the mirrors, and using the turn signals. Before they get behind the wheel, young drivers should know basic vehicle care, maintenance, and warning signs.
Wiper blades and washer fluids – if they can’t see where they are going, how will they get there safely? Get your young driver in the habit of checking their wiper blades and washer fluid levels. There are super easy fixes to help correct wiper blade problems. And be sure they also know how to refill washer fluid (where it goes and what product to use).
Lights – it’s important to always have clean headlights and working rear lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights. These are the ways other drivers know what actions to expect from your teen’s vehicle. Show your teen how to check them regularly. Remind them of the importance of properly functioning lights. Teach them how to change them or how they can contact the dealership to have them changed by a technician.
Tire pressure, tread, and rotation – show your teen driver where the PSI rate is listed on the sticker of the driver’s door jam. Teach them how to check their tire pressure. Show them how to fill their tires with air or reach out to the dealership if they need more nitrogen. Be sure to explain that tire pressure can change with cooler and warmer weather, so it’s smarter to check more often. Show them, the quarter test, not the penny test to check tire tread. Explain the importance of tire rotations to help tires wear evenly. Share with them the notion that rotating and balancing tires should be done on a routine schedule that makes the most of their tire investment.
Check fluids and change the oil – have your young driver get in the habit of checking their oil levels, brake fluid, antifreeze, and transmission fluid. Explain what products go where and how to maintain the right levels as needed. Teach them how to change their oil, or how often to schedule an oil change on a regular basis.
A car battery can fail at any time, but there are usually warning signs. If new drivers know how they function and what the signs are for replacement, then they can be more proactive when a new battery is needed. A completely dead battery is a safety issue if they are stranded.
Knowing the dashboard warning lights can make a world of a difference for the safety of your young driver and their passengers. There are 15 common warning lights on your dashboard that hold significant meaning. Have your new driver review them with you!
And in case of a roadside emergency, give your teen a list of contacts to call, do a run-through of how to change a tire, gift them an emergency roadside kit.
It’s a lot to digest, but the responsibility of becoming a driver is worth the time invested in sharing the knowledge above. It’s another layer of protection to keeping your driver safe.
Want more tips for teaching your young driver the rules on and off of the road? Click here for more teen driver safety tips and here for the driving experiences your teen needs.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
by California Casualty | Auto Insurance Info |
No one likes getting cut off in traffic or the feeling of a tailgater trailing closely behind. When those feelings cross the line from irritation to retaliatory action, that’s road rage. Road rage, as most of us know, is significant anger and/or aggression directed toward one driver by another. It can be in the form of insults, gestures, physical attacks, and even dangerous driving maneuvers that can run you off the road.
Road rage is a form of distracted driving that can lead to collisions, injuries, and even death. Knowing how to keep your cool behind the wheel, and what to do if you are targeted by road rage, will help prevent accidents and bring you safely back home.
Road rage is more common than you think.
The majority of American drivers – almost 80 percent – admitted to aggressive driving or feelings of road rage in 2019, according to the AAA Foundation. The Foundation’s analysis of 10,000+ road rage incidents over 7 years revealed 12,610 injuries and 218 deaths. Road rage is a factor in more than half of all fatal collisions.
Know the causes of road rage.
There are many triggers for road rage. Most often, aggressive behavior stems from angry emotions that get out of hand due to situational circumstances, such as traffic conditions, or the driver’s own mental state.
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- Road rage can be a habitual or learned behavior. Drivers may be in the habit of yelling at cars that cut them off. They may perceive the behavior as normal.
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- Cars provide a layer of anonymity that makes it easy to “rage.” In road rage incidents, drivers do not see another person; they see a vehicle. As a result, they don’t think of the individual/family they will be affecting when they lash out at another driver.
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- Drivers who “rage” may have a disregard for the law. They may be speeders and tailgaters, and have the perception that they are above the law.
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- Traffic congestion and delays can cause road rage. Drivers who are running late are more likely to get upset during heavy traffic conditions.
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- Distracted driving may prompt road rage. Drivers on their cell phones could contribute to road rage reactions when they don’t move as planned through traffic.
Know how to prevent road rage.
You don’t have to be an aggressive driver to experience road rage. It can happen to anyone! Here are some ways to stay cool behind the wheel.
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- Make sure that you’re well-rested and ready to drive. Get enough sleep. Limit alcohol intake. If you’ll be traveling long distances, take time for regular stops to recharge.
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- Leave plenty of time for your trip. Drivers who leave early are less likely to be stressed about traffic congestion or angry at other drivers who may delay the journey.
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- Play soothing music. Set the mood for a relaxing trip with a soothing soundtrack.
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- Don’t honk or yell. Raising your voice and honking your horn only serves to escalate a situation.
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- Don’t tailgate. Leaving enough space between you and other cars helps prevent incidents that can lead to road rage.
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- Remember to show some empathy. Everyone has a bad day now and again. Give your fellow driver the benefit of the doubt. He/she may not have meant to cut you off.
Know what to do If you’re a victim of road rage.
It can be frightening if you are the target of road rage. The most important thing to remember is to keep your cool, and follow these suggestions.
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- Don’t return gestures. Don’t make eye contact. Engaging with an angry driver only escalates the potential for road rage. Keep your eyes on the road and, if possible, distance yourself from aggressive drivers.
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- If you’re being tailgated, switch lanes. Try to move out of range of the other driver. Do not slam on the brakes to get them to back off. That tactic is dangerous.
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- Stay behind an aggressive driver. Being in front of an aggressive driver puts you in their field of vision. Moving behind, and lengthening your distance, can help.
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- Don’t pull over and stop. Unless you are stopping at a stoplight or stop sign, do not stop. Stopping your car is the precursor to engaging with the other driver—something that you do not want to do.
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- If the harassment continues, pull into a police station. There may be times when you cannot shake the aggressive driver. In those cases, the best tactic is to head to the nearest police station.
Look out for road rage during these high-travel months.
Any time there is traffic and congestion on the roads is a time that could trigger road rage. The summer months, and especially August, have been shown to be prone to incidents of road rage. Similarly, holiday travel in December with its associated congestion, traffic delays, and inclement weather, can produce the conditions ripe for road rage.
Plan your travel accordingly and follow these tips to help keep you and your family safe.
Safe travels.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
by California Casualty | Homeowners Insurance Info |
Have you heard the saying going around recently that “cleaning your house while everyone is home is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos?” It’s so gross, but so true, especially when everyone is home together during the summer- living life and making messes.
These 5 quick cleaning hacks will help YOUR FAMILY get (and keep) your house clean.
Make It a Team Effort
It’s time to assign chores. Everyone at home contributes to the mess, so each can be responsible for helping to clean it up. You can easily assign tasks to each family member (kids included) by using this age-appropriate chore list cheat sheet. You can get creative and write down the chores by person on a board piece of paper in plain view, or download an editable chore chart that you can print and hang.
Get In the Habit
It’s all about muscle memory. If you create a daily cleaning schedule for all to follow, the assigned tasks are completed in less time than trying to tackle it all at once. Plus, the weekly schedule will help you stay on top of what needs to get done and avoid the procrastination that typically hinders our approach to housework. Another pro tip: make your bed every day.
Have the Right Tools
Like any job, having the right tools (in good working condition!) will make getting the job done so much easier. A good vacuum (with attachments), microfiber cloths, a bucket and mop, and a cleaning caddy filled with your favorite cleaners are just a few of the housekeeping essentials recommended. Here’s a more detailed list of recommendations. You may want to test your options to select the right tools for your home.
Pick Up, Pick Up, Pick Up
To keep your home clutter-free, it’s important that everything have a place. Putting things away immediately after use will save you time (since you won’t need to search for items), save you money (since you won’t need to replace items forgotten about or misplaced), and save you space. Here are other ideas to keeping your home clutter-free on a regular basis.
Stay Positive
Research tips and tricks that will make the chore of housekeeping seem more fun and less work. Simple things like playing music and creating family chore or cleaning games will keep everyone motivated. Positive reinforcement will go a long way. Let your loved ones know how much you appreciate their help.
Once you’ve had a chance to give these a try, let us know how they worked. And if you have additional tricks, tips, or recommendations, please share them with us as well. Housework is a way of life, but it doesn’t have to be such a chore! (pun intended)
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
by California Casualty | Educators, Nurses |
The working life of a school nurse has always been hectic – treating schoolyard injuries, doing health screenings, helping address mental health issues and so much more. And then Covid arrived, making the “old days” seem quaint.
School nurses’ response to the pandemic has underscored what we already know: they are health care superstars. In these last 12 months of disruption and crisis, school nurses have heroically taken on even more responsibility, served as public health advisors for school boards and administrators, and kept students and communities safe through the pandemic.
Here are some lessons we learned about the role of the school nurse in 2021.
Nurses are critical in safe reopening
As districts across the country continue reopening with varying phases, plans, and protocols, nurses are critical to their doing so safely. As the frontline of student safety, they’re on point for best practices for reopening policies, temperature testing, screening, mask distribution, health and safety guidelines, ongoing monitoring, and more.
They are a pillar of public health
Nurses are the health experts that school communities look to for guidance. They answer questions from parents, staff, and students. Nurses have always been health educators, but especially now, that role is so important in disseminating local health policies and guidelines, training staff on COVID-19 infection control, helping staff do self-care, and educating the wider community. Many are involved in wider public health initiatives or organizations.
Their jobs are complex
While COVID-19 prevention and mitigation efforts are at the top of their list, nurses still must attend to all the other illnesses, injuries and student concerns that they always have. School nurses are a lifeline for students with chronic conditions, often procuring their equipment and medications, drafting student health plans, and helping them manage their conditions. They also reach out to at-risk students and help with deliveries (such as medication and food) to those in need. They often serve hundreds of students, all with different and changing needs.
Nurses’ expertise is unmatched
More than any other role in the education system, nurses are the health and wellness linchpin. Their training and skills go beyond everyday health care. They must have great listening and communication skills, be life-long learners, be empathetic and caring, think quickly, and have great judgment and problem-solving skills. They’re consummate team players, using interpersonal skills, professionalism, and attention to detail. And increasingly so, they must be knowledgeable about new public health threats and developments – connecting the dots between local and national trends.
They’re important to a student’s overall success
Good health is foundational to a student’s ability to thrive. When they’re healthy, they’re better able to excel in their studies, develop their interests, pursue their dreams and build relationships. Nurses support student’s success by providing care and support – to students’ physical, emotional, mental health as well as social health needs. They provide assessment, intervention, and follow-up for all students.
They can deliver care anywhere
School nurses have always provided care and support in person, but now they’re doing it remotely – or using a combo of the two. They have had to “go virtual” basically overnight and work to ensure kids didn’t face a gap in care. They’ve had to figure out fixes for students who need ongoing care but maybe don’t have digital access. They have to make the call on what care can be done remotely and what requires in-person attention. Having the right tools and the continued support of their districts and administrators remains important as ever.
Going forward, these important lessons will inform how the school nurse’s role evolves. Being at the frontlines of how COVID-19 has affected communities, schools, and students, the voice of the nurse will be critical in shaping health care and public health for decades to come. Thank you, school nurses, for all that you do to keep your schools and communities healthy and safe!
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
by California Casualty | Educators |
The end of the school year a great time to celebrate your students, their accomplishments and get them looking forward to sweet summertime! And what better way to do that than a fun bulletin board?
Check out our favorite end-of-the-year bulletin boards below.
1. We’re So Bright…
You can have so much fun with this one! Have your students model their best poses and faces to make for the cutest end-of-the-year bulletin board in school.
2. When I Grow Up I Want To Be:
You can give them these photos on the last day of school so they can look back on it when they do start their careers and see if it’s what they wanted to be when they were little.
3. End the Year With a BANG!
Use balloons to count down to summer! Have students take turns popping balloons each morning until there are none left on your last day.
4. All the Feels About Leaving
Because who doesn’t love emojis? You kids could even make their own using paper plates.
5. It’s O-FISH-ALLY Summer
Each student gets their own fish to decorate!
6. The Friendship Board
It’s always a fun day in class when students have permission to get messy on PURPOSE 😉
7. Where will you go?
Such a creative way to decorate a door with a long window!
8. Silhouette Autobiographies
Such a fun idea that can be used in a multitude of ways autobiographies, their favorite school memory, what they’ve learned, what they are looking forward to about their next grade, etc.
9. Polaroid or Instagram Door!
Fill with photos of your class, books that you’ve read, science projects, favorite sight words, class pets, memories from the year, etc. You can use the polaroid theme, or make them into squares like Instagram 🙂
10. Surfin’ Into Summer
Because who doesn’t love a fun summer-themed bulletin board to celebrate the end of the school year?
11. Going Out With a Boom
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, enough said.
12. Summer Bucket List
A fun writing prompt and bulletin board where kids can design their own buckets!
13. Anything’s Popsicle
Popsicles using paint samples? Such a cheap and easy idea!
13. In Summer…
Because who doesn’t love Olaf?
15. A TPT Summer
For those teachers who like to have an aesthetic classroom
16. High Five to a Great Year!
Have students trace their hands, put their names in the middle, and then decorate them! This is such a great craft that students can take home for their parents on the last day of school.
17. It’s Almost Time to Pack, Man
Bulletin board puns are the best puns
19. Don’t BLOW IT This Summer
Such a fun way to incorporate staff or student photos into your bulletin board.
20. Choppin’ Into First Grade
Use student photos, their names, or have them create their own fish to put inside the alligator’s mouth!
21. Countdown to Summer Chain
Remove a chain link each day as you get closer to summer. For even more fun write down activities or quotes on the chain links and as you remove them perform/read whatever is on it.
22. This Year Was Sweet
A fun bulletin board that encourages students to
23. Harry Potter-Themed
Mischief has been managed!
24. I’m Looking Forward To…
A fun writing prompt activity that lets students write about what they are looking forward to this summer.
25. Stay on Target
A fun and interactive bulletin board that you can switch up the style and keep the concept!
26. The ABC’s of the Year
Give each student a letter of the alphabet to create a drawing from something they learned that starts or contains their letter.
27. We Don’t Want to LEGO
Remember how we said bulletin board puns are the best?
28. Smart Cookies!
Who wouldn’t want to have a giant bulletin board full of cute little cookies to end the year?
For more End of the Year Bulletin Boards visit our “Teachers: End of the Year Bulletin Board Ideas” board on Pinterest!
Don’t forget to give us a follow at California Casualty to stay up to date on every new idea we discover! Scan our Pincode with your Pinterest camera to follow:
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. California Casualty does not own any of the photos in this post, all are sources by to their original owners. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
