Though we may not get as much snow as other parts of the country, the snowwe do get tends to stick — and that makes for dangerous driving conditions. In fact, about 70% of fatal accidents during the winter happen in cars. As another cold season begins, it’s worth recapping how to stay safe on potentially slick roads. Here are three tips to remember. Slow down. When conditions are wet and snow is on the ground, you should reduce your speed to give yourself more time to react and minimize the potential impact if your car spins out of control. But your miles per hour isn’t the only speed you should worry about. You should also accelerate at a slow and even rate to gain traction and brake slowly whenever possible to prevent skids. Finally, avoid sudden or jerky movements — all maneuvers should be gentle and gradual. Stay alert. When you’re driving, your attention should always be 100% focused on the road. But driving in snowy or icy conditions requires a constant and extra-vigilant assessment of your surroundings. While you should normally leave at least three seconds of space between you and the car ahead of you, allow 6–10 seconds Dashing Through Snow? Not So Fa Tips for Safe Winter D
NOMONKEYING AROUND Helping Hands
You’ve heard of service dogs, but what about service monkeys? For many years now, capuchin monkeys have been lending helping hands to people with disabilities! Monkey Helpers for the Win
Helping Hands Monkey Helpers, located at Monkey College in Boston, Massachusetts, is a nonprofit organization designed to help people with disabilities and mobility issues, such as quadriplegia, by pairing them with a monkey service animal. These simian helpers are specifically trained to help with daily tasks while providing companionship, happiness, and a renewed sense of purpose that many struggle with when navigating an injury or disability. When monkeys graduate, they will have developed the ability to navigate major household appliances and electronics as well as basic items within the home. They can even retrieve a canned beverage from the refrigerator, open it, and put a straw in it! A service monkey can also assist with retrieving things that are dropped or out of reach, turning pages in a book, scratching an itch, pushing buttons on electronic devices, and performing other menial tasks within the home. Each human applicant and the capuchin monkeys undergo a pairing process to find the best fit for placement! A social worker and placement specialist work together to sift through applications and determine which monkeys will be the right choice for the applicants based on lifestyle preferences and the tasks that will be most helpful to the person with disabilities. Plus, Helping Hands Monkey Helpers ensures that the monkeys are completely free of charge to the recipients! The human-animal bond created along the journey after placement is absolutely beautiful. Helping Hands Monkey Helpers brings love, companionship, and laughter to many who are fortunate enough to work with the organization. These monkeys are the best, hands down. And, monkeys, thank you for going to monkey college, and thank you for your service!
Flu Shots Protect You From Illness DON’T FORGET YOUR ‘OTHER’ VACCINATION
Vaccinations have been a hot topic for all of 2021, but in all of the excitement over the new coronavirus vaccines, flu shots have taken a back seat. Though far less deadly than COVID, we shouldn’t forget that the flu can do its own damage. Many people have already gotten their flu shot this year (experts say October is the ideal time to be vaccinated), but if you’ve put yours off, it’s not too late to get your jab. Flu season peaks in February and generally lasts through March.
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