Avoiding Road Rage in Memphis

Posted on June 15, 2022 by karen

Road rage is a serious problem and it doesn’t show signs of getting better. According to the American Automobile Association, approximately 200 murders and 12,000 deaths over seven years were linked to road rage incidents. The NHTSA reported that 66% of traffic fatalities were the direct result of aggressive driving and road rage. The Zebra conducted a study in 2019 that revealed that 82% of drivers committed an act of road rage.

While you may not be able to avoid road rage altogether, there are some things you can do to reduce the number of road rage incidents you’re linked to.

Avoid driving when you’re already on edge.

The more irritated you are when you slide behind the wheel, the greater the odds are that you’ll experience road rage during your commute. Try to calm yourself down before driving. Once you’re on the road, take deep breaths and listen to soothing music or an uplifting podcast.

Give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination. The tighter you are on time, the more recklessly you’ll drive and the more irritated you’ll be at other drivers. Giving yourself a good amount of time to safely reach your destination is one of the best ways to avoid road rage incidents.

Carefully choose your route before you leave. If you know you’re already irritated, choose a route that has the least amount of traffic on it. The fewer cars you encounter on your drive, the more relaxed you’ll be.

Let things go while you’re driving. There will be days when things happen that irritate you. Rather than letting them get under your skin and prompt you into doing something you’ll regret. Take lots of deep breaths, practice defensive driving techniques, and focus on all the good things that are happening around you.

When you encounter an angry driver, don’t engage with them. Stay defensive and let them go ahead of you. Don’t match their aggressive behavior with aggressive moves of your own.

Early Warning Signs of Heat Stroke

Posted on June 15, 2022 by karen

The longer, warmer days inspire all of us to spend more time outdoors. The problem is that the hotter it gets, the greater the risk of heatstroke.

The problem many people discover is that while there are warning signs that they’re starting to overheat, most either ignore these signs or fail to recognize them for what they are until it’s too late. Make this the year that you sit down and familiarize yourself with the early warning signs of heatstroke. You’ll find that knowing when you’re overheating improves your overall health and how much you enjoy the summer months.

Headaches are often the first sign that you’ve been out in the sun and heat too long. They can also be a sign of dehydration so going indoors and drinking a tall glass of cold water as soon as your head starts to throb can solve both issues before they become serious health concerns.

Keeping a mirror tucked into your pocket while you’re outside isn’t a bad idea. You can use it to keep an eye on your complexion. If you notice you’re becoming flushed, you should either get inside or at least to a nice shady patch so you can cool down a bit.

If your skin feels hot, tight, and dry, you immediately need to take steps to cool down. The fact that you feel hot but aren’t sweating isn’t a good sign. The longer you ignore the state of your skin, the greater the risk of you developing full-blown heat stroke.

Do you feel your pulse pounding in your throat or your heart hammering in your chest? This is often a sign that you’ve developed heatstroke. You need to immediately get out of the sun and start slowly cooling yourself down. If your heart rate doesn’t start to slow down after a few minutes, you’ll want to seek medical assistance.

The hotter you get, the more confused you’ll feel. Things like agitation, sudden irritation, delirium, and slurred speech are signs of advancing heat stroke. Seek medical attention.

Stay cool and healthy this summer!

Several Reasons Kids are Left in Hot Cars

Posted on May 31, 2022 by karen

It’s that time of year when we are constantly getting bombarded by messages reminding us to not leave kids and pets in hot cars. If you’re one of those people who roll their eyes and question how anyone could forget their child in a hot car you’re not alone. Most people feel the same way, right up to the moment they realize that they left their child in a hot car that is quickly turning into an oven.

According to a CNN report, an average of 38 kids die each year because they were left in a hot car. The majority of these deaths occurred during July.

The best way to make sure you never leave your own child in a hot car is to learn the main reasons this tragic and scary thing happens.

The Normal Routine Shifts

One of the biggest reasons kids are forgotten in hot cars is because something happens to change the parents’ routine. This doesn’t have to be a big change, just a small interruption in their routine such as a shoelace getting untied or getting a phone call. It’s just enough to break the parent’s thought pattern and make them temporarily forget about the child strapped to the back seat car seat.

Kids Get Into the Car

There have been a few instances where the child actually locked themselves into a hot car. This usually happens when the kids are playing and start to explore. They find that the car is unlocked so they crawl inside and engage the child locks. Soon they are overheating but are unable to remember how to get out of the car.

It’s Someone Who Doesn’t Usually Transport Kids

Some kids are left in cars because they’re being transported by someone who rarely drives with children, such as an aunt, grandparent, or neighbor. Usually, this person is doing the child’s parents a favor and simply forgets that they have a child in the vehicle who is unable to get out on their own.

The Parent Is Only Going to be Gone a Second

Some parents feel that since they are only going to be gone for a moment, it’s easier to leave their child in the car rather than bundling the in and out for an errand that’s only going to take a minute. The problem is that the errand sometimes takes longer and the interior of a parked car gets deathly hot extremely quickly.

The Child is Left on Purpose

It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes a parent deliberately leaves their child in a hot car. These incidents usually happen because the parent is upset with the child’s other parent, the parent is suffering from a mental illness, or the parent has decided they don’t like being a parent.

Hot cars are deadly to young kids. There are ways to prevent yourself from accidentally leaving a child in a hot car. Stick reminder notes on your steering wheel. Place your cell phone next to the car seat. Arrange for someone to call you when you’re scheduled to arrive at your destination and remind you about your child. All of these are simple steps you can take to make sure your child doesn’t become a summer car story.

5 Things You Can Do to Save Gas While Driving

Posted on May 31, 2022 by karen

Gas prices have hit historical highs and it doesn’t seem like we’re going to get much relief this summer. While there isn’t anything you can do that will lower the cost per gallon, you can alter your driving habits so that you get the maximum amount of mileage from each gallon you put into your vehicle.

Slow Down

Driving slow isn’t as much fun as zipping along, but it will significantly improve your vehicle’s fuel economy. The slower you go, the less drag your vehicle encounters, and the more miles you get per gallon.

Brake Smoothly

There are times when you can’t avoid slamming on your brakes, but whenever you have the chance, try to brake as smoothly as possible. Also, try letting the weight of your vehicle aid with its slowing down rather than riding your brakes. In addition to improving your fuel economy, the smoother braking style will also lengthen the lifespan of your brakes.

Let Your Cruise Control Handle your Acceleration

We’ve gotten into the habit of mashing the accelerator all the way to the floorboards when we accelerate. Now is a good time to stop this practice. The first thing you need to do is carefully chose the times you pull into traffic and wait for a break that allows you to gradually accelerate. You should also allow your cruise control to handle the acceleration since it will handle it far more smoothly, which ultimately reduces your gas usage.

Stop Idling

Instead of letting your car idle while you wait for your kids to get out of school or as you run back into your home for some forgotten item, shut your engine off. The longer your car idles, the more fuel it burns while doing absolutely nothing.

Pre-plan Your Stops

Before leaving home for the day, stop and think about the various errands you’re going to run. Rather than driving to every single location, look for ways you can park your car and leave it. You won’t believe how much fuel you save when you stop driving to every single store. If the distance between two stops is further than you want to walk, consider using public transportation, a bike, or renting an electric scooter. Leaving your car parked in one location while you run errands in multiple places may take longer, but it will also save you a significant amount of money.

What methods are you using to reduce your overall fuel usage?

Is Public Intoxication a Misdemeanor in Memphis?

Posted on May 18, 2022 by karen

Everyone knows that we’re not supposed to drink and drive. Many of us have gotten really good about making sure that whenever we go out to have a good time, we have a plan for getting home that doesn’t involve us driving. In some situations, we simply decide to walk home.

Although walking home while you’re drunk is preferable, you should be aware that it’s still not the safest option. All of the alcohol you’ve consumed slows your response time and dulls your reflexes. Not only does this make you an attractive target to any criminals you may encounter on your walk, but there’s also a chance a patrol officer could notice you staggering home and decide to charge you with public intoxication.

That’s right. Being extremely drunk while in public is a crime.

Public intoxication is a misdemeanor. If you’re convicted, the maximum sentence is:

Six months in a county jail
A $1,000 fine

A public intoxication conviction may be embarrassing but it’s not an offense that will negatively impact your rights. It’s also possible to have the public intoxication charge expunged.

What Happens if You Ignore a Subpoena?

Posted on May 17, 2022 by karen

One of the mistakes some people make when they witness a crime is assuming that since they weren’t actively involved in the crime, they don’t have to be involved in the investigation or trial. This attitude causes some people to ignore a court subpoena. If you’ve been issued a subpoena, you should know that ignoring it is a mistake that will likely result in you getting into legal hot water.

Subpoenas are a very important part of the state’s justice system. To make sure people like you don’t ignore a subpoena, laws have been passed that make ignoring a subpoena punishable. If you’re convicted, you could spend some time in jail.

Many subpoenas are issued because you are a witness and the case depends on your testimony. If you fail to make your court date, the judge will request a Proof of Service document. If this is requested, the next step is issuing a body attachment which is more commonly referred to as a bench warrant. If you’re pulled over for a routine traffic stop, have to call the police for some reason, or the police simply knock on your door, you’ll be arrested immediately.

One of the interesting things about charges related to ignoring a subpoena is that this is one of the Bail Warrant crimes. This is a big deal because it means that once you’re arrested, you aren’t going to be released from jail until your case involving not obeying a subpoena case has been concluded.

Considering how long you could be potentially sitting in a jail cell for ignoring a subpoena, it makes more sense to rearrange your day and simply appear in court rather than pretending you never saw the subpoena.

Penalties for Illegal Street Racing

Posted on May 4, 2022 by karen

Yes, the Fast and the Furious movie franchise made street racing look like a great way of generating some excitement on a Friday night, but before you gather a group of your friend together to see who can drive the fastest, you should know that street racing, drag racing, and other vehicular speed contests aren’t legal on public roads.

In most cases, you’ll find yourself facing misdemeanor charges. If you’re convicted, you’ll go through life with a criminal record and have to pay some extremely hefty fines. You may even spend some time in jail.

In order to secure a guilty conviction in a street racing case, the prosecution must be able to prove that in addition to actually driving the car, you were also aware that you were street racing. You can’t be convicted of street racing if you simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and got swept up in a street racing sting.

You can be charged with street racing if you and another driver challenge one another to a race while sitting at a stoplight. It only takes two people to create an illegal street racing situation.

If you’re convicted of speed racing a second time, you will lose your driving privileges.

While you’re not legally allowed to engage in any type of speed contest while operating a vehicle on public roads, you’re free to do what you like while on private property, including private roads. While the police won’t stop you from street racing on a private road, you still want to be careful. If someone is hurt because of your actions while you’re behind the wheel, it’s possible you’ll be named in a civil case.

Graduation Parties | Consequences of Minors Drinking

Posted on May 4, 2022 by karen

Finally! It’s graduation season. For many students and parents, this is a day they’ve been waiting for their entire lives. They’re finally putting high school behind themselves once and for all and allowing themselves to focus on the future.

If you’re a graduating senior or someone who just likes to hang out with a group of senior friends, remember that while you’re allowed to have a good time and enjoy life, you aren’t legally allowed to consume alcohol. The fact that you’ve graduated from high school doesn’t matter. Getting caught consuming alcohol at a graduation party prior to your 21st birthday can have an immediate negative impact on your future.

One of the first things you need to realize is that you don’t have to be caught actually drinking in order to get into trouble for consuming alcohol when you’re still underage. If you’re surrounded by beer bottles, have a drink in your hand, or simply drank a little bit, you’re still going to be in trouble with the law.

The consequences of getting caught drinking at a graduation party while you’re a minor are both scary and expensive. In most cases, the judges will order you to pay fines and do substantial community service. In some situations, especially if this isn’t the first time you’ve been caught drinking while still a minor, the judge will decide that you should spend some time in jail.

You’re bad decision to drink at a friend’s graduation party even though you were a minor will likely result in you losing your driving privileges for a time. It doesn’t matter that you were smart enough to avoid driving after you were drinking. If you’re caught buying alcohol, using a fake ID to get alcohol, or being in possession of alcohol, your driver’s license will likely be suspended. Not only does this mean you have to beg for a ride whenever you want to hang out with friends, but it also makes getting a summer job more difficult. When you are finally able to drive again, you’ll likely have to pay a significantly higher insurance premium.

An increasing number of colleges are starting to crack down on minors who get caught with alcohol. There have even been reports of scholarships being withdrawn and application approvals getting rescinded.

Considering the long-term impact a single drink can have on your future, it’s in your best interest to avoid alcohol this year while you’re celebrating graduations.

Consequences of Making Annoying Phone Calls

Posted on April 27, 2022 by karen

To you making an annoying phone call might not seem like a big deal. In fact, it’s something many of us did when we were bored teenagers. If you did, hopefully, you outgrew the prank because in this day and age, making an annoying phone call is a misdemeanor. That’s right! Each time you pick up the phone and place an annoying call, you’re breaking the law.

Most of the annoying phone call incidents that generate police attention are either obscene or threatening, the victim is truly threatened and/or terrified. That doesn’t mean prank calls are allowed. A person is free to contact the police if they are getting irritating phone calls when those calls happen over and over again.

It’s important to understand that making annoying phone calls isn’t an infraction. It’s a isdemeanor, which means a conviction will result in you getting a permanent criminal record. If you’re convicted, you could be sentenced to spending six months in jail and/or charged a $1,000 fine.

Other things that fall into the category of annoying phone calls include:

Text messages
Unwanted emails
Letters sent via fax
Unsolicited smartphone photos

The best way to avoid getting charged with annoying phone calls is to stop and consider if you would consider the call annoying, threatening, or repetitive. If you would, don’t make the call.

A Family Member Has Been Arrested

Posted on April 27, 2022 by karen

As far as you know it, getting arrested means that your life is pretty much over. You’re going to be kicked out of school and/ or fired from your job. You won’t get another career-focused job. You won’t get a loan, or an apartment. Your relationships with friends, family, and lovers will be ruined. This is not true.

We understand how stressful and flustered you must feel when you learn a loved one has been arrested. You never expected to have do deal with bail and we will continue to keep that task from you as much as possible. We’ll take care of the paperwork; we’ll take care of the processing with the jail. You take care of your loved one.

What To Expect

1. The family member is arrested and charged with a crime. The District Attorney (DA) will review the case and decide whether or not to file charges. If the DA decides not to move forward with charging the individual with a crime, the case is dismissed and he or she is free to go home.

2. If the DA does file charges, the individual will have an arraignment, at which time he or she will be notified of the charges made against them, and bail will be set.

3. The individual will be able to post bail with the court or through a bail agency. You may need (if you so wish) to help your family member meet the dollar amount for bail. If paying the court directly, the entire bail will need to be paid before he or she can be released. If paying a bail agency, the dollar amount is 10% of the full bail amount, and this can be paid on a schedule after the person is freed. Alternatively, your family member can choose to stay in jail and not pay bail at all.

4. At some point, trial will begin and end, at which time you all will learn of your loved one’s fate: freedom? A prison sentence? Community service?

Don’t psyche yourself out too much about your loved one. The best thing you can do right now is help pay his or her bail and support them.

How Can A Person Be Eligible For Own Recognizance Release?

You can consider being granted “own recognizance” release as the sincerest form of flattery when it comes to bail. This is a no cost bail where a judge will allow a defendant to be released from jail by signing a written promise to attend any and all court appointments. The defendant does not have to pay any money to get out of jail, which is a huge relief since bail is not cheap.

How does a judge decide whether a person is trustworthy enough to be released on own recognizance, or how expensive their bail is if they must pay?

Severity of the crime
Past criminal history, if applicable
Ties to the community
Danger to the community

Still, being released on own recognizance comes with certain conditions. On top of having to show up in court, a judge may require regular check-ins with a probation officer. A judge might also order the defendant curfew or to abstain from alcohol. If the defendant neglects any conditions of his or her release, or gets in trouble again with the law, he or she can be arrested again and bail eligibility would likely be taken away.

Some defendants are not so lucky and will have to pay money for bail. Conditions will still apply, like needing to show up in court and anything else the judge orders. Bail is expensive and if a defendant is unable to pay the court, they are highly encouraged to contact Memphis Bail Bonds. Paying for bail in this manner is more affordable than paying the court directly.

If you would like bail bond help, our company, Memphis Bail Bonds, is your answer. You can learn more details by calling us at (615)544-0000.