All In A Days Work

Night driving can be a bit of a challenge – your pupils dilate to the glare of nearby lights, things just look different in the dark — and that may affect your reactions and perceptions on the road. To help make sure you are driving safely, follow these tips for driving at night.

                                This post is sponsored by Charlie’s Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram.

KEEP IT CLEAN
Making sure that your headlights are clean, and of course your mirrors as well. (and make sure they are properly adjusted as well) This can help maximize your ability to see what is going on around you. Also make sure if you have plastic lens covering your lights that fade or become foggy, you can use a headlight polishing kit to make them clean and clear. Also make sure that your windshield and windows are nice and clean and streak free as well. A good tip is cleaning your windows with newspaper to remove streaks!

LIGHT IT UP
When it comes to lights at night, they can work against you just as much as they work in your favor. Make sure your headlights are aimed properly – because misaligned headlights can negatively impact your viability and distract other motorist as well.

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR EYES
Our pupils dilate in the dark to let more light in – a lot of people are nearsighted at night, and objects don’t appear as clearly or sharply as they would during daylight. Darkness can also diminish your depth perception and peripheral vision, which means you may have trouble seeing objects and lights at night.

You can dim the lights on your dashboard and interior lights so they are visible, but not distracting or messing with your eyes. If someone behind you has their high beams on adjust your rearview mirrors so the lights aren’t going into your eyes directly.

Also be aware of how things will look different at night – like if you are traveling where there is wildlife, two small bright dots actually could be animal eyes in the distance. So be sure to look for reflections , since its more visible before you get right on top of the animal.

And lastly, of course, make sure you are getting your eyes checked regularly – at least every 2 years. If you do already wear glasses, make sure they are anti-reflective or they can be a real bear to drive in.

STAY AWAKE
One of the hardest things about driving at night -especially if you are driving long ways, is staying awake. Be sure to take breaks to get out and stretch when driving long distances, and if you feel yourself starting to nod of, don’t just turn up the radio – pull over and get some rest.

A tough job – but somebody’s gotta’ do it. That’s the life of a criminal defense attorney.  Their jobs are to make sure that the scales of justice are balanced.  There’s a lot of pressure and responsibility being a potential criminal defendants only support, and protector of rights. But it can be a challenge – even for the best of the best. But there are some secrets on how they do their job, and do it well.

Good Criminal Defense Attorneys Don’t Let Their Feelings Get in the Way
Of course some defendants have done some horrible, terrible crimes – but they still have constitutional rights. It’s not as if they are approving or condoning these crimes or behaviors, but it’s their job to stand up and make sure that they honor the constitution and their rights as citizens.

They Help Pick a Unbiased Jury
Ever watch the show Bull? If so, you know reading and picking a jury is a skilled art. Defense attorneys know that most jurors come in expecting to convict someone  – so they need to read the jurors and try to determine which ones may be able to keep an open mind: and also know which ones will be bias.   They will often look up backgrounds of jurors to see who might be a better choice for their client.

Innocent Defendants Make their Jobs Harder 
Imagine knowing that a defendant who is up for life in prison, is actually innocent? It’s one thing to put a person in prison who we know 100% without a doubt committed a crime, and they deserve a punishment. But having a client who you know is innocent and you are unable to convince a jury of it – it’s hard to live with. There have been lawyers that have worked tirelessly for years trying to free an innocent person, and eventually was able to (which is amazing in itself!)

True Crime Shows Have Changed Their Approach 
Lawyers have to keep in mind that when they address jurors they have to factor in that a lot of these ‘true crime shows’ have skewed their minds regarding the criminal justice system. A lot of times an average person who watches true crime shows on regular basis considers themselves to be a bit of an ‘expert’. So when jurors see expert witnesses, police officers and other evidence, sometimes they think they know better; or they know that in some cases those witnesses have been ‘wrong’. A lot of lawyers though, instead of trying to fight the stigma, they embrace it. They play on the juries skepticism into their defense. Exploit facts that seem impossible to believe, and use their ‘wisdom’ as prime time true crime show watchers, to their advantage.

Their jobs might not be as glamorous as on T.V. or in the movies, but criminal defense attorneys play a vital role in our countries judicial system. Remember, you are innocent until proven guilty in the court of law – and your lawyer will do everything in his power, to make sure that you get that chance.