What to Do Before and While Driving Your Vehicle on a Summer Road Trip

Planning on a summer getaway trip with your family, friends or colleagues? If so, then preparation and planning should be on the top of your list. As you might already know, highway crashes are on the rise, especially during this time of the year where roads are almost always filled with vehicles. Whether you’re going to the beach, to the campsite near the mountains, or go fishing by the lake, it really helps if you plan ahead. Doing so is much easier than dealing with breakdowns along the way, or worse, a highway crash. 

Before you put your family, friends, or colleagues inside your vehicle, let alone drive it, have your car, SUV, pickup, or RV serviced by a licensed mechanic. It is much better if you do it regularly at any time of the year. If, however, you are not aware of the service history of the vehicle you plan to drive, schedule a preventive maintenance check-up with your mechanic weeks before your scheduled trip.

Make sure that your tires are well-inflated so that you can avoid tire blowups or failure while traveling along the heat-soaked roadway. To prevent your engine from overheating, check carefully your vehicle’s coolant level to make sure it is enough to sustain long hours of driving. More importantly, make sure that your vehicle lights, from headlights, brake lights, turn signals, to your emergency flashers, are all in good working condition.

Before the day of your summer getaway, ensure that you have obtained enough rest, especially if you are the driver of the vehicle. That way, you will not only stay focused on the road ahead of you, but you will also avoid experiencing fatigue. It is much better if one of your family members, friends, or colleagues can also drive the vehicle. You may share your driving duties with him or her along the way; just don’t forget to bring along with them their driver’s license!

Moreover, to avoid experiencing a fender-bender along the road, you must avoid exercising certain bad driver behaviors. One such behavior is distracted driving. As much as possible, drivers must avoid anything that can pull their attention away from their driving. To put it simply, don’t use your mobile phone, eat, drink, or use in-vehicle gadgets while you’re behind the wheel.

Another behavior that you and your passengers need to avoid is the failure to use seatbelts. Before the trip, everyone aboard the vehicle, including you, must agree to wear the seatbelt, especially when they are riding or driving the vehicle. Doing so is the best defense against a highway crash caused by a drunk driver.

By making the necessary preparations before the trip and avoiding risky behaviors behind the wheel, reaching your preferred summer destination will be hassle-free. Expert litigators, including a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, are all wishing all motorists and their families, friends, and colleagues a safe and fun-filled summer.

Summer Safety on the Road: What You Need to Be Aware Of Before Driving Out This Season

 

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Today is the summer season, and it is expected that there will be a massive influx of vehicles going in and out of cities to get to various summer destinations. As it is, this time of the year is the perfect opportunity for a lot of people to go out on road trips to enjoy the great outdoors. However, motorists should be aware of a lot of things before and during trips in order for them to avoid certain inconveniences.

So if you are planning on a road trip going to picnics, beaches, and other destinations with your family and friends, it is important that your whole summer experience should hinge on the concept of safety. Here are some things that you need to be aware of before driving out:

•    Be prepared before and during the trip.

Preparation is always a key component in order to make sure that safety is at the forefront of driving your vehicle. Days before the road trip, you must make sure that your car has undergone maintenance. If your car performs well and every vital part of it is in tiptop condition, then you are good to go. It also helps if you prepared an emergency roadside kit before the trip in case your car breaks down in the middle of the trip.

Moreover, it is important that during the trip, you and your passengers are well-restrained with seatbelts. If you have children with you, they should be seated at the back, with a booster seat if they are of certain age. They must not also be left unattended; heat stroke is a leading cause of death among children, increasing during the summer time. More importantly, you must always follow traffic rules, as well as look out for passing motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians crossing the road.

•    Watch out for car thieves.

It is during the summer months—July and August—where vehicle thefts are on the rise. In fact, in every 44 seconds, a motor vehicle is stolen in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Additionally, mistakes on the part of drivers make up more than 40 percent of car theft incidents. Certain mistakes include leaving valuables inside the vehicle, failing to lock up all the vehicle windows and doors, and not parking in well-lit areas during the night.

•    Check your vehicle’s tires.

Driving your motor vehicle at highway speeds on hot summer weather may result in tire failure, especially if one or all of your tires are under-inflated. According to the NHTSA, around 11,000 crashes happen every year because of tire failure. To avoid this, it is important that you follow the recommended tire pressure on the front- and back-end of your vehicle, especially before you drive your vehicle on the day of your trip.

Incidentally, expert lawyers, particularly a car accident attorney in los angeles, advise all motorists to be physically and mentally prepared for road trips. Being on the right state of mind, along with the needed preparation, would help make this summer’s experience enjoyable, memorable, and free from hassles.

Heading Out on Road Trip This Summer? Here’s an NHTSA Safety Advisory

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Summer is the time of the year where a lot of people go out on road trips to enjoy the great outdoors. As such, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a safety advisory last month urging motorists to take necessary precautions to make sure that their vehicles are in their best driving conditions. The traffic safety agency has also reminded motorists to be extra careful when behind the wheel to avoid endangering the lives of not only their passengers but also others.

Here are some of the safety precautions that the NHTSA highlighted in its press release dated June 4, 2013:

• Motorists must do regular maintenance before taking their vehicles to long trips. Tune-ups, oil changes, battery checks, and tire rotations help avoid any breakdowns that might happen in the middle of trips. A maintenance check-up for the vehicle would suffice if it has not been serviced in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations, or that the driver is not aware of the vehicle’s service history.
• Car lights, from headlights, brake lights, turn signals, to emergency lights, must be in good, working condition.
• Before embarking on a road trip, motorists must make sure that they bring with them their emergency roadside kit, especially if an unfortunate breakdown happens. Things to include in the kit are a fully-charged cell phone, first aid kit, drinking water, medicines, and any lighting device such as a flashlight and flares, among others.

Meanwhile, here are some of the reminders from the NHTSA that drivers and passengers must keep in mind:

• Use the seatbelt. Do not drink and drive. Avoid getting distracted.
• Motorists with children must have the latter seated at the back. Younger children must likewise be restrained safely with a booster seat, still at the back of the vehicle. Also, children must not be left unattended; that way, injuries and deaths due to heat stroke are prevented.
• Always watch out for crossing pedestrians, as well as passing bicyclists and motorcyclists. They often go in large numbers, especially since it is the summer season, so it is imperative for motorists to be extra careful when dealing with them on the road.

Incidentally, expert lawyers such as a car accident lawyer in Los Angeles also advise motorists to be physically and mentally prepared for road trips. Fatigue is one factor as to why road accidents during the summer season happen, which is why it is important to be at the best state of mind before going on a long drive.