Don't put your fingers underneath objects you're trying to lift. Remember, if you see a snake, there may be more nearby. Don't handle any snake, even if you think it's dead. Don't depend on a warning. Snakes don't always hiss and rattlesnakes don't always rattle before a strike.
Most snakes give no warning at all.
Wear boots and long pants when hiking in snake habitat. Hike with a companion. Use a flashlight and wear boots outdoors after dark if you live in snake country, especially during the hottest months, when reptiles avoid daytime heat and are more active at night. See that your yard, sidewalks, and patio have plenty of light. They have long, movable fangs, and their bite appears as puncture marks in the skin.