Avoid Accidents, Shop Safely on Black Friday

Black Friday — the busy shopping day after Thanksgiving — can be a day of heavy traffic, stressed and distracted drivers, and crowded stores.

Here are some rules of the road to help Oklahoma drivers steer clear of traffic crashes on Black Friday:

• Slow down on highways and avoid weaving in and out of traffic.
• Use a low gear for stop-and-go traffic.
• Stay within 5 mph of the speed limit.
• Give other drivers more following distance than usual so that you are able to stop in time if the driver in front brakes suddenly.
• Stay alert for vehicles that swerve into your lane or cut you off in traffic.
• Use side roads if the highway is too crowded to navigate safely.

Driving in Bad Weather

Oklahoma drivers are likely to face tougher driving conditions on Black Friday and over the winter holidays. KTEN News offers the following guidelines for safe winter driving:

• Remain at least 200 feet behind snow removal vehicles and snow plows.
• Check local weather and news reports before heading out in rainy, icy, or snowy weather.
• Keep an eye out for black ice. Black ice is difficult to see, but it makes pavement slick and is a major cause of winter traffic accidents.
• Maintain ample following distances behind other cars to avoid rear-end accidents. If the road is slippery due to ice, rain, or snow, it takes more time to stop.
• Plan trips in advance and allow more time to reach your destination than average. Take your time on the road so you can arrive safe and sound.

Safety in Stores

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a list of recommendations to retailers to keep their premises safe for Black Friday crowds. They include:

• Hire additional staff.
• Give employees detailed operation plans to make sure that they are ready and able to help store visitors.
• Work with local fire and law enforcement agencies to make sure that all permits and licenses for large events are obtained and that escape routes are sufficient for large groups.
• Give specific workers the responsibility to contact emergency responders in the event of a customer injury, fire, or other emergency.
• Designate a store manager to field questions and make critical in-store safety decisions.
• Prepare an emergency plan and advise all employees of how they are expected to help if an emergency arises.
• Train employees in crowd and emergency management and assure that all retail associates understand the emergency contingency plan.
• Assure that store entrances and exits are kept clear by moving foot traffic through expeditiously and removing product displays from areas that might impede emergency escape routes.