How to Drive Safely in the Rain

Dear Patients & Friends,

As a chiropractor who has treated countless patients involved in car accidents, I'm keenly aware of how many more accidents there are in the winter than in the summer. Most of the time this is due to adverse driving conditions from the rain. Over the years, I've learned that some of these accidents could have been prevented.

Thankfully, almost all the patients I treat make a full recovery within a short period of time.

What Oregon Taught Me About Driving in the Rain

I went to chiropractic school in Portland, Oregon and learned a lot about driving in the rain. I remember that I was once driving (or rushing) to a meeting while it was raining. I was not as focused as I should have been, and then I heard a public service announcement on the radio.

The announcement said that to minimize the chances of getting in an accident, three rules should be followed. I listened carefully as they were outlined:

1. Drive Slower
2. Leave More Space Between Cars
3. Be Willing to Be Late

It was the last rule that really caught my attention.

I'm a New Yorker who was raised in a city that values time. While I was driving down the busy and wet street in Portland listening to that last rule, I didn't want to accept the possibility of being late. I remember thinking that I could easily abide by Rule #2, but the other rules were going to be challenging to follow.

All of that thinking changed once I had children and was responsible for driving them around SAFELY.

What to Do If You Have an Accident

Immediately after the accident, make sure that you are gently stretching your muscles, and applying ice, or heat, to the painful areas. You may want to take traditional anti-inflammatories (aspirin) or alternative anti-inflammatories (herbal remedies) to help speed up the healing. You want to prevent the soft tissue (ligaments, tendons, and muscles) from tightening up and going into spasms.

Even if you're only involved in a "fender-bender" accident where you feel only minimal discomfort, it's still a very good idea to let me, or someone who treats whiplash injuries, briefly examine you.

Here's Why

Many people do not go to their healthcare practitioners after an injury, thinking that their pain will soon go away. However, after a few weeks, if your pain doesn't go away, and you have not had a checkup within a reasonable period of time after the injury (3 - 4 weeks), then even your own insurance company may not be willing to cover the cost of your care!

Even if you don't need a lot of care, your insurance company may feel like you didn't need any care because if you were really injured, you would have sought treatment earlier.

If you come to the office after your accident, and I determine that you don't need any care, at least you have established with your insurance company that you were concerned enough to get a checkup. This way, if you decide that you need care a few weeks down the road, your insurance company will not question the validity of your claim.

Drive safely and enjoy the rain that we so desperately need!

In Health,
Dr. Mark

Announcements

Save the Year - 2018

Several patients have asked me over the years to put together an in-depth program to help them become physically healthier, mentally happier, and spiritually holier.

In addition to my private coaching sessions and workshops in the office in 2018, I'll finally be offering a yearlong program called: the Happiness Mastermind Team.

I'll be spending time this winter completing the curriculum and other details, like how often we'll meet and how to make this important information accessible to people with busy schedules. The program will start in March, 2018.

If you want to know more about how this program will transform your life, contact me and we'll find out if you're a good candidate for this type of work. There will be a limit of ten people on the Mastermind Team.

I've spent over four decades studying and organizing the principles and practices that are guaranteed to help you move your life in the right direction. I'm excited to be offering this practical wisdom to all of you!