4 Things to Watch Out for When Visiting Pennsylvania

Today, on Redhead Mom, I’m sharing a partnered guest post about 4 things to watch out when visiting Pennsylvania.

They call Pennsylvania the Keystone State, and it’s a great place to spend time. You can travel to Pennsylvania Dutch Country and see how the Amish live. You might drive through the state and end up in a city like Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. You can take in a Phillies game and have a cheesesteak, or you can see the Heinz facility where they make their world-famous ketchup.

If you travel through Pennsylvania, you should watch out for a few things. We’ll talk about them right now.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving caused 11,019 PA accidents in 2020. That’s an alarming number, and it should indicate that you must take this problem seriously.

Distracted driving occurs when something makes you take your focus off the road. You might allow an argument or a serious discussion with a family member to distract you. Maybe you’re talking about something that should wait until you get to your destination. Arguing or talking heatedly in the car can cause you to hit another vehicle, the highway embankment, or something else.

You might let a billboard or your smartphone distract you. You should not text while driving, but you also shouldn’t use your phone for any other purpose. Driving directions are the only thing you might want from your phone while you’re in the car.

You might let food distract you. You can cause a wreck if you take your hands off the wheel to dip your McNuggets in the honey mustard. If you don’t let anything distract you, you should get to your destination in PA safely.

And if you get involved in a drunk driving incident, make sure to protect your rights by contacting a personal injury lawyer, specifically a car accident lawyer or a drunk driving accident attorney.

Deer

Many animals live in PA, especially in the remote areas. As you travel through the countryside, you can sometimes see squirrels, skunks, foxes, rabbits, woodchucks, and other forest denizens.

You don’t want to hit any of them, so try to keep an eye out for animal life crossing the road. If you hit something small, like a squirrel, chances are, you won’t suffer any harm. The squirrel probably won’t survive the encounter.

Deer also live in PA, though, and some of them get pretty large. A buck can weigh as much as 150 pounds, and they can also have enormous antlers that can puncture a windshield or the car’s hood.

Watch out for deer as you travel through Pennsylvania. They’re everywhere, and they can run out into the road when you least expect it. It’s another thing to know about as you make your way through the Keystone State.

Crime

You should know that crime in PA definitely exists, especially in the cities. That’s true of any state, but knowing the neighborhoods and taking precautions can help you stay out of trouble.

For instance, if you visit a city like Pittsburgh or Philly, you might stay at a low-priced hotel. If so, maybe it’s not in such a great area. Parts of south Philadelphia have a less than sterling reputation, and you’ll see why if you drive through them.

You can stay in the hotel after dark, and you can avoid wandering around if you don’t know the territory. Only go out in the daylight if possible. If you go out at night, at least take an Uber or taxi. That way, you don’t have to walk around in areas you don’t know.

Also, try not to flash any jewelry or money around. If you dress and act too ostentatious, you can attract robbers.

Rowdy Sports Fans

Cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia love their sports teams. You won’t find a much more passionate fanbase than the yellow-and-black clad Steeler fans or the Eagles fans that pack Lincoln Financial Field during football season.

If you attend one of these sporting events, or a baseball or hockey game, for that matter, exercise caution. If you wear the opposing team’s colors, you might have to deal with disorderly or inebriated fans heckling you. To avoid this, you can learn the strategies to win at air hockey, so that you can have a chance to show off your skills and hopefully avoid any confrontations with opposing fans.

You will find cops around any sporting event, but if you’re in a parking lot before or after a game, maybe there’s no police around when you’re dealing with some overly aggressive fans. If their team lost, that might even enrage them.

These cities should allow you to support an opposing team if you want, but reality sometimes intervenes. You’re taking a risk if you wear another team’s colors, and you may want to think carefully before going out in public dressed that way.