safety tips – CityScape Insurance

March 5, 2019 By Matthew

Pleasant spring, summer and fall weather entices many to enjoy the outdoors by land or water. Millions own ATVs, motorcycles or boats. However, unless vehicle operators adhere to basic safety precautions, accidents occur. Statistics from 2017 indicate that more than 100,000 injuries and 5,300 fatalities occurred secondary to ATV, boating and motorcycle accidents. Keeping in mind a few precautions ensures that all stay safe while enjoying recreational activities.

ATV Safety Tips

Protective gear-ATV riders should always wear a full helmet along with protective outerwear, boots and gloves. If a spill occurs, the rider’s body remains protected from possible injury.
Perform an inspection-Before each ride, ATV owners should consider inspecting the vehicle’s tires, wheels, cables, the chain, connectors, electronic components and fluid levels.
Ride with a buddy-Riding with other people ensures ATV safety. Dangers that one rider sees are easily passed on to other riders. In the event of an accident, a companion is able to offer emergency assistance or contact help.
Ride responsibly-Avoid performing stunts or tricks. Do not push the limits of your skill or the function of the ATV.

Boating Tips

Use common sense-Stay alert, do not speed, avoid other vessels and respect navigational devices. Never operate a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Have an assistant boat operator-Besides the boat operator, another individual must be familiar with the vessel’s function, regulations and emergency protocols in the event the captain becomes incapacitated.
Flotation devices-Boats should carry one life jacket for each passenger, which should be worn. A life preserving float is another option.
Trip itinerary-Before embarking on a boating adventure, inform a loved one where you plan to be on the water. Include the names, addresses and phone numbers of all the passengers along with details of the planned journey.
Communication devices-Smaller vessels should have at least a smartphone for emergencies. Larger vessels should be equipped with more advanced two-way radios along with personal and positional emergency beacons.
Be weather wise-Before departing, obtain weather information for the area in which you plan on traveling. If storm clouds appear, the winds increase or the water becomes rough, leave the water.

Motorcycle Tips

Take a safety course-New bike riders especially benefit from taking a basic operator safety class. The courses typically involve written instruction combined with learning riding techniques. Completion of the class enables riders to take the MVD test for an operator’s license.
Pre-trip inspection-Before heading off on any road trip, owners should perform a quick inspection of the bike’s tires, fluids, chassis and the electronic components. In this way, you reduce the risk of malfunction while riding, which could contribute to an accident.
Wear a DOT certified helmet-Thousands of fatalities occur each year when riders do not wear a motorcycle helmet. A properly fitting full helmet is the best, as the gear protects your face, ears and head.
Additional gear-Riders should consider also wearing protective outerwear in the form of heavy jackets and pants along with gloves and boots. In the event that a rider falls from the bike, their body remains protected from suffering scrapes, lacerations or bruising.

Identity Theft Prevention

Don’t Be A Statistic Of Identity Theft

The thought of someone gaining unauthorized access to your most sensitive information might send shivers down your spine but identity theft is a very bona fide reality. In 2015 alone, over 13.1 million U.S. residents lost an estimated $15 billion to identity theft, according to Javelin Strategy and Research’s 2016 Identity Fraud Study. Not to mention in the last decade, over $100 billion has been lost due to the heinous crime.

Once your identity is stolen, it can be very difficult to recover from. Therefore, the best method to fight against it is to keep it from happening in the first place. Below are some tips to help you from your identity being stolen.

Be Vigilant

You might think that identity theft is done solely through sophisticated hacking and phishing schemes but it can be done by anyone you pass by on the street. Anyone who knows how to snoop properly, for instance, if you are at an ATM there might be people looking over your shoulder to find out what your PIN is.

If you are in a situation where you are sharing sensitive information in public, be wary about those around you, as it could result in a data breach.

Share Information With Discretion

Before you go and give your social security or credit card number over the phone, make sure that you trust whoever you are giving it to. If you answer a call from an unknown number claiming you have won some sort of prize and that all you need to do is give them your social security number, you absolutely should not comply. Just remember, it is better to be safe than sorry in situations like this.

Keep Track of Your Financial Statements

Whether it’s a credit card bill, a summary of your recent bank transactions or anything similar, you need to pay regular attention to these very closely. If you are checking them on a daily basis, then you’ll be able to catch worrisome activity earlier on and hopefully put a stop to anything sketchy before it is too late.

Make Strong Passwords

You are particularly vulnerable to theft if your bank account and email passwords are not secure with differing or tough to guess passwords. Many websites have special criteria when creating your pass code with more difficult requirements but you should still take it upon yourself to make your passwords as hard to guess as you can no matter what. Even the slightest modifications to an easy password, such as a certain number or special character before or after the original can make a world of difference. When it comes to your personal security, well being and especially when preventing identity theft you can never be too careful.

Shred Sensitive Materials

You shouldn’t underestimate identity thieves, nor should you overestimate them. They’ll do anything to access your personal and sensitive information, including but not limited to rummaging through your garbage can. If you have any documents even remotely containing any personal information, such as your social security number, date of birth or even your bank account information, you should make sure it runs through a shredder first before tossing it.

Only Carry Necessary Materials in Wallet

There are just some things that you should not carry in your wallet – even if it seems harmless. One of these is your social security card. Anyone who has a handle on this piece of paper can effectively mean theft of your entire livelihood. Keep this in a secure location at home with your belongings and make no exception. Also, if you have multiple lines of credit, it is strongly advised that you only keep one of each in your wallet at one time. If your wallet is stolen, multiple credit and debit cards mean there is greater potential for a thief to wreak havoc on you.

Ultimately, by just paying attention to those around you and keeping your sensitive information all to yourself, you can really deter anything catastrophic happening to you or your family.

Boat, Motorcycle, & ATV Safety Tips