Important Tips

Motor Vehicle Accident Information

If you have been in an automobile accident, stay calm and do the following:

STOP
You are required to STOP and give your name and address, as well as show your driver’s license and insurance identification card to the person whose property is damaged and/or injured, or to a police officer.

CALL 911 FOR POLICE AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Have someone call 911 so police and any medical assistance can be dispatched. In getting help it’s necessary to fix your location as precisely as possible. Briefly give the basic facts. In the meantime, make sure the injured person is as comfortable as possible and kept warm. Normally, you should not move the person.

PROTECT THE ACCIDENT SCENE
Make every effort to prevent further accidents and to protect the accident scene. Vehicles shouldn’t be left in a position of danger if they can be moved, nor should occupants remain in such a vehicle if they are unharmed and can move about freely. Remember to have someone warn approaching traffic until the police arrive.

EXCHANGE INFORMATION
Obtain the names and addresses of all other drivers involved; this includes the owners of the vehicles and other passengers. Write down the ownership, license number, year and make of all vehicles involved. If possible, obtain the names and addresses of the insurance companies and the policy numbers covering the other vehicles and drivers involved. By law, an insurance policy information card must be carried in every vehicle licensed in New York State.

Get the name, address and telephone number of every witness at the accident scene. If this is not possible, then try to record the vehicle license plate number and state for every witness. Do not discuss the accident with any witness.

Get the name, badge number and police agency of the police officer who appears at the accident scene. Write down the details of the accident, including: date and time; road and weather conditions; the direction and speed of all other vehicles involved and the type and location of any traffic control devices at the scene.

FILE AN ACCIDENT REPORT
If a person is injured or killed, or there is property damage that exceeds $1000, you must file a written accident report with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles within 10 days. Remember to keep a copy of the filed report for your records.

REPORT ACCIDENT TO YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY
Call your insurance company representative immediately after the accident. Send written notice, preferably by certified mail-return receipt requested, to your insurance company as soon as possible. Keep a copy of this correspondence and its postage receipt for your records. Include the date, time and place of the accident, as well as its circumstances. It should also contain the names of all injured persons and witnesses.

If you’re injured, obtain a no-fault claim application immediately. New York State no-fault claims must be filed within 30 days of the accident. All medical bills must be submitted within 45 days of the medical service provided. Lost wage claims must be submitted within 90 days. You should submit your claims with the insurance company that covers the vehicle in which you were an occupant (passenger or driver), preferably by certified
mail-return receipt requested. Keep a copy of these claims and its postage receipt for your records.

IF YOU’VE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED
Call us at 716-633-5050 so we can make sure all your rights are honored

Downloadable Information Card

Download the handy vehicle and driver information form and keep it in your vehicle.

Driving Tips for Teenagers

Always wear your seat belt – and make sure all passengers buckle up, too.
Adjust your carʼs headrest to a height behind your head – not your neck – to minimize whiplash in case youʼre in an accident.
Never try to fit more people in the car than you have seatbelts for them to use.
Obey the speed limits. Excess speed is one of the main causes of teenage accidents.
Donʼt run red lights. When the light turns green, make sure the intersection clears before you go.
Use turn signals to indicate your intention to turn or to change lanes. Turn it on to give the cars behind you enough time to react before you take the action. Also, make sure the signal turns off after you have completed the action.
Donʼt drive like you own the road; drive like you own the car.
Make sure your windshield is clean.
Make sure your car has gas in it. Donʼt ride around with the gauge on empty – who knows where you might get stranded.
Donʼt drink and drive, and donʼt ride with anyone who has been drinking.
Call parents or friends to take you home if you need a ride.
Donʼt take drugs or drive if you have taken any. Donʼt ride with anyone who has been using drugs.
Even some over-the-counter drugs can make you drowsy. Check label for warnings.
Donʼt blast the radio so loud you canʼt hear sirens, horns and other warning noises.
Donʼt drive with small children or even small teenage friends as passengers in a front seat with a passenger-side air bag. They should be buckled up in the back seat.
Donʼt talk on your cell phone, send text messages, put on make-up, comb your hair or eat while driving.
If you need to make a call, pull off the road to a safe spot and park.
Donʼt leave your car in cruise control when youʼre driving late at night or when youʼre tired.
Donʼt fiddle with the radio while you are driving. Wait until you can pull over and stop.
Maintain your car and use good quality tires that are inflated to the right pressure. Bald tires, a slipping transmission or a hesitant engine could lead to accidents.
Have a designated driver when going out for a night on the town with friends. This person does not drink and has the responsibility of getting people home safely. Drinking and driving DO NOT MIX.
Watch out for potholes, especially after bad weather.
Be on the lookout for motorcycles, bikes and pedestrians.
When driving to a new place, get complete directions before you go.
Figure out what exits you need to take beforehand.
If your car has been parked outside during a snowstorm, check the exhaust pipes to make sure they are clear before starting the car. Also check if you back up into a snowbank.

For more tips on teen driving safety, please visit: www.teendriving.com.

Choosing the Right Nursing Home

Selecting a nursing home for a loved one can be a confusing and emotional task. Herschel Gelber LLC offers these tips to help you make an educated assessment and decision:

Tour facilities at odd times, such as during dinner, in the evening or on a weekend, and take note of:
- Odors, both pleasant and offensive
- Residents’ dress and grooming
- Staff responsiveness
- Patient rooms, activity rooms, kitchen, dining and bathing areas
- Safety features, such as alarms, handrails, grab bars
- Any restrained residents
- Activity calendar
Talk to residents and family members
Talk to all staffing levels from administration to pastoral care;
ask about length of service, qualifications and assignments
Talk to volunteers
Determine availability of physicians
Determine the number of staff on each shift
Meet with Active Residents Council, which gives residents the opportunity to make recommendations
Review the current state operating license of the facilities

Once your loved one is admitted, visit frequently and insist on good care.

If a parent or family member has been neglected, abused or otherwise injured in an assisted care facility, do not hesitate to take a stand. Contact an attorney if you have any difficulty dealing with the facility or if your loved one is injured in any way, so that his or her rights can be protected.

Summer Pool Safety Tips

Always have a fence or barrier to separate the pool from the house and to prevent unauthorized people from using it as well as to keep children and pets away from the area when it is not supervised.
Never leave children unsupervised in or near a pool (or any water source), not even for a second. Always have a designated person watching all children who are in or near the pool.
Do not leave toys near the pool area, and do not allow children to play in
the pool area when the pool itself is not being used.
Have floatation devices, poles and other potentially life-saving devices near the pool at all times.
If you must leave the pool area, always take the children with you.
Keep tables, chairs, tricycles, ladders and other large objects away from
the pool fences.
Learn to swim and teach all children who use the pool how to swim.
Never swim alone.
Never swim under the influence of alcohol or medication, and never allow others to do so.
Never swim when you hear thunder or see lightening.
If your child is missing, check the pool first.
Keep children away from pool filters and drains, as the suction force may
injure them or prevent them from surfacing.
Learn CPR and make sure your babysitter knows CPR as well.
Post the 9-1-1 number near the pool, and always have a phone nearby.
Keep radios, CD players and other electrical devices away from the pool or other wet areas and surfaces.
Once children are done swimming, secure the pool so they cannot get back into it.

And remember...just because your child knows how to swim DOES NOT mean your child is safe in the water.

If you’d like to learn more about pool safety, please visit the following websites:

US Consumer Product Safety Commission
American Academy Of Pediatrics
Insurance Information Institute