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As many of us are leaving for our holiday destinations during the course of this weekend, the thought of those on the roads with vehicles filled to the brim with our possessions, the most important of these, the most precious cargo in your vehicles are you and your family members.
Distracted by the excitement and anticipation or reaching your destination often clouds the most common logic when driving on busy roads.
So many of us take for granted the simple safety rules of the roads during this time and endanger not only themselves and their loved ones but they also imperil other travelers and their families.
While this time of year is full of fun, relaxation and release from responsibility, we are still all accountable for our actions and this is the time to display just as much, if not more responsibility and care as you travel to your holiday destinations.
I was reading a pamphlet on road safety provided by one of our filling stations (although I am not one of the lucky ones to be traveling anywhere this year) and so many accidents could just avoided just by taking note and taking care.
I don’t mean to lecture or police anyone, I just feel so sad when I drive past accidents on the road especially during this time of year where death seems to be more tragic than at other times.
So as blah as this may sound, I am still going to say my peace and if one person reads it and takes one tip to help them as they travel, then my job is done.
Respect the life you have and take care of those around you. It is the right thing to do.
These are some tips I found in a pamphlet supplied by an ENGEN Service Station and is sponsored by ARRIVE ALLIVE
1. Stay Alert; Highway driving is boring and its easy to lose concentration. Tiredness is a major cause of accidents, so take a short break every two hours. Your reaction time is a lot slower when you are tired.
2. Sustained motorway driving can make you les aware of speed so check your speed regularly. Leave a greater gap between vehicles on highways than on other roads. At higher speeds, stopping distances increase dramatically.
3. Large vehicles can obstruct your view ahead. Change lanes or drop back so that you can see what is happening further up the road.
4. Avoid staying in the fast lane when you do not need to be in it. Keep left and pass right. Move left again as soon as possible after overtaking.
5. Look well ahead for slow moving traffic or bunching up. Leave plenty of space to slow down.
6. Do you rubber-neck at accidents? Drivers slowing down to look at crashes frequently have or cause accidents of their own.
7. If the vehicle behind you is driving too close move over and let it pass.
8. Look out for warning signs; these will help you prepare for narrowing roads, one way bridges or sharp bends.
9. Blind bends are highly dangerous and need to be treated with caution.
10. Make use of safety devices such as cats eyes, marker posts and chevrons to make your trip a lot safer.
Travel safely and take it easy and remember: Less Haste = More Speed
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
