Darkness comes on pretty quickly during the late fall and winter months in the Lehigh Valley. In fact, thanks to Daylight Savings, this change can almost be sudden to many people.

One day you’re coming home from work and it’s sunny out and it seems like just a few days later you’re waking up when it’s dark and then driving home when it’s dark as well.

And while this change can be annoying for your sleeping patterns and overall joy factor, it can also present you with a few extra safety issues as well.

Here are a few tips to stay safe in the “darker” months of the year.

1. Be sure to park in a well lit area

This applies to when you go to work or if you’re just out and about. Be sure to park your car somewhere as close to an entrance as possible and as well lit as possible.

2. Turn on Your Headlights

It’s easy to forget to turn on your headlights if you haven’t been using them for most of the summer months. Be sure to turn on your lights as soon as the sun starts to go down. It’s simply a safer way to drive and makes you visible and also makes you able to see everything much better.

3. Watch for pedestrians, especially school students

The darker hours don’t just affect those driving on the roads. You want to make sure you have your headlights on AND make sure you’re more vigilant for those who are walking, especially students. Pedestrians may not notice the light change as much as drivers. Remember this.

4. Call 24/7 Emergency Locksmith as soon as you have a problem

If you’re locked out, don’t wait to call us unless you’re 100% sure you have someone with an extra key to your car or home close by. We can be on site in minutes and our main goal is making sure our customers are safe. Call us at (484) 891-1922

We typically don’t think about our locks when the idea of winterizing our homes comes up. However, a little bit of preparation can go a long way.

Door locks are a very easy place for outside moisture and dirt and such to enter and collect. During the warm months, these infiltrations aren’t usually a problem and don’t cause any sort of problem with the working of the lock.

However, in the colder months, this moisture can freeze and cause problems with the lock, sometimes making it so that the lock isn’t able to turn at all.

Preventing this from happening is usually done by spraying a de-icer into the lock. While this solution is great for short term, however, it may also cause a build up of gunk in the lock that may require you to take the lock apart to clean it at a later date, so be careful.

If you do find that your lock isn’t working due to the cold, you can take care of that in a few ways. Heating your key is a quick fix, but that trusty de-icer also comes in handy.

No matter what, be sure to pay some attention to your door locks this winter and take a second to think why they may not be working due to the change in temperature.

The movies make it seem like almost anyone with a bobby pin can pick their way out of a pair of handcuffs, but how hard is it actually?

The simple answer is that it’s a lot harder than it looks, however, there are many different resources that detail how to get yourself out using a paperclip or some other ordinary every day objects.

ITS put together a pretty comprehensive video showing how it can be accomplished.

“The current “swinging bow rachet – type” adjustable handcuff design dates back to 1912 when the Peerless Handcuff Company patented it. Even the “double lock,” that we’ll get into later in the article, came about shortly after this. First off, why are we still using relying on this deprecated technology to keep our officers safe? Why are law enforcement grade handcuffs readily available at nearly any surplus store, readily available to be used on someone during a home invasion? Lastly, why is this simple key design still being used?” SOURCE ITS

Watch their video below and, of course, only use this for recreation or entertainment use. We do not condone you trying to pick your way out of handcuffs that you probably belong in!

Watch the video here.