Top 10 ways to honor a veteran on Veterans Day
Americans celebrate Memorial Day in the spring and Veterans Day in the fall. While it can be easy to confuse the two holidays, Memorial Day is set aside to honor American’s war dead; Veterans Day is intended to honor the service of all U.S. veterans, both living and dead.
In fact, celebrations surrounding Veterans Day often place a special emphasis on thanking all living U.S. military veterans who have or are currently serving in any U.S. armed service. And it’s the perfect time for all Americans to show appreciation for their service.
The best way to thank a military U.S. veteran for his or her service depends on the individual and his or her needs. But the most important thing is to do something to show your gratitude.
Here are 10 ideas to get you thinking about how to be grateful for veterans on November 11.
1. Raise. Display the American flag in your yard to demonstrate your support of veterans everywhere.
2. Listen. Strike up a conversation with a disabled or homeless veteran and be an active listener as you hear about their experience.
3. Speak. Simply say, “Thank you” to veterans you see.
4. Reach out. Contact a disabled or homeless veteran whom you know and spend some quality time together.
5. Support. Send a donation to organizations that support the special needs of veterans.
6. Find. Trace your ancestry and identify how many veterans are in your family.
7. Write. Send a letter to someone who’s currently serving in the military.
8. Visit. Visit a disabled veteran in his or her home or a homeless veteran on the street.
9. Learn. Educate yourself on the challenges veterans face when retiring from service to rejoin civilian life.
10. Share. Use your social media to help celebrate Veteran’s Day and acknowledge the service of all veterans.
To learn more ways to honor a veteran on November 11, visit http://www.wallawalla.va.gov/Misc/Honor_Veteran.asp.
To all our American heroes, we at the Mars Insurance Agency thank you for your service to our country.
Did you know? Veteran’s Day is always celebrated on November 11, regardless of the day of the week. It’s also a federal holiday, so federal government employees take the day off on Monday if the 11th falls on a Sunday, and they take the day off on Friday if the 11th falls on a Saturday.
Contact Us!
At Mars Insurance, we can work with you to make sure you've got the coverage you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage affordable. Just give us a call at 815-459-0711 or send us a note at marsinsurance@marsinsurance.com. We want to help you meet your goals, and make sure what's important to you is protected!
Content provided by Safeco Insurance
Friday, October 24, 2014
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Night Driving Dangers
A little extra caution can go a long way while driving at night.
Summer has ended, and while fall and winter have their own pleasures — including high school football games and evening hayrides — longer nights mean increased danger on the roads.
You might think you drive just as well at night, but consider this: Even though nighttime driving accounts for just 23% of vehicle miles traveled, more than 50% of fatalities for vehicle occupants 16 and older occur between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to the National Safety Commission (NSC).
Because we’re big advocates for safety at Mars Insurance, we thought it would be helpful to take a look at why night driving is more dangerous, and what you can do to decrease that danger.
What’s dangerous about night driving?
1. Decreased vision. We won’t go into all the biological details, but different parts of the eye (such as iris, pupil and retina) work differently at night. Your peripheral vision is actually slightly improved, but it’s more difficult to focus on objects ahead of you. And traveling between well-lit areas and darker roads creates issues as well.
2. Driving too fast for your headlights. Depending on vehicle speed and headlight setting, many people “over-drive” their headlights. That means, by the time they see something on the road, it’s too late to stop in time to avoid it.
3. Impaired judgment. Whether due to drowsiness or the use of alcohol or drugs, it appears that drivers at night often don’t use good judgment. According to the NSC, 66% of fatalities at night involve vehicle occupants who weren’t wearing seat belts.
So what do you do?
Sometimes, there’s no way around driving at night. So here are some tips to help you make a safe trip — whether you’re just running to the store, or you’re headed all the way to and from a Bears game.
1. Make sure your vehicle’s lights are in good working condition. And not just headlights, but turn signals, taillights, etc.
2. Avoid speeding. Leave a bigger cushion between you and other cars than you would during daylight hours. Leave yourself more time for the trip.
3. Be more aware of your surroundings. You shouldn’t be using your phone, messing around with the radio or trying to find something on the floor while you’re on the road anyway — and distractions are even more deadly at night.
Of course, if you’re not comfortable driving at night, the best thing is to avoid it altogether if possible. There’s nothing wrong with asking for a ride from a trusted safe driver or waiting for the sun to come out!
Sidebar:
We’re open all day!
When you’re driving around during the day, stop in to Mars Insurance for a review of your coverage. We won’t keep you after dark, we promise. Just give us a call at 815-459-0711. We’re here to help!
Contact Us!
Content provided by Safeco Insurance
Summer has ended, and while fall and winter have their own pleasures — including high school football games and evening hayrides — longer nights mean increased danger on the roads.
You might think you drive just as well at night, but consider this: Even though nighttime driving accounts for just 23% of vehicle miles traveled, more than 50% of fatalities for vehicle occupants 16 and older occur between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to the National Safety Commission (NSC).
Because we’re big advocates for safety at Mars Insurance, we thought it would be helpful to take a look at why night driving is more dangerous, and what you can do to decrease that danger.
What’s dangerous about night driving?
1. Decreased vision. We won’t go into all the biological details, but different parts of the eye (such as iris, pupil and retina) work differently at night. Your peripheral vision is actually slightly improved, but it’s more difficult to focus on objects ahead of you. And traveling between well-lit areas and darker roads creates issues as well.
2. Driving too fast for your headlights. Depending on vehicle speed and headlight setting, many people “over-drive” their headlights. That means, by the time they see something on the road, it’s too late to stop in time to avoid it.
3. Impaired judgment. Whether due to drowsiness or the use of alcohol or drugs, it appears that drivers at night often don’t use good judgment. According to the NSC, 66% of fatalities at night involve vehicle occupants who weren’t wearing seat belts.
So what do you do?
Sometimes, there’s no way around driving at night. So here are some tips to help you make a safe trip — whether you’re just running to the store, or you’re headed all the way to and from a Bears game.
1. Make sure your vehicle’s lights are in good working condition. And not just headlights, but turn signals, taillights, etc.
2. Avoid speeding. Leave a bigger cushion between you and other cars than you would during daylight hours. Leave yourself more time for the trip.
3. Be more aware of your surroundings. You shouldn’t be using your phone, messing around with the radio or trying to find something on the floor while you’re on the road anyway — and distractions are even more deadly at night.
Of course, if you’re not comfortable driving at night, the best thing is to avoid it altogether if possible. There’s nothing wrong with asking for a ride from a trusted safe driver or waiting for the sun to come out!
Sidebar:
We’re open all day!
When you’re driving around during the day, stop in to Mars Insurance for a review of your coverage. We won’t keep you after dark, we promise. Just give us a call at 815-459-0711. We’re here to help!
Contact Us!
Content provided by Safeco Insurance
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