Summer is one of the busiest times on the road. Young college students off for the summer scrape what little money they have together and hit the open road. Families pile into the family SUV and head off to the lake for a week of boating and water sports. Whatever your summer plans may be this year, before you hit the road, we suggest that you follow these summer driving tips.
- Maintenance: Before you head out to the open road, be sure to get your car serviced. As a vehicle owner, you are responsible for regular maintenance, such as oil changes, tire rotations, and battery checks on your vehicle. By regularly servicing your car, you reduce the risk of breakdowns, tire blowouts, or other mechanical failures that could cause your trip to end in disaster.
- Buckle Up: Road trips can be long, but don’t let that stop you from wearing your seat belt. Make sure that you buckle up on every trip, and insist that your passengers do the same.
- Stay Alert: Stay alert during your travels! If you are feeling tired, pull over at a rest stop to stretch your legs and get some fresh air. If there is another licensed driver with your party, consider asking them to take over driving duties while you rest.
- Get Rest: Don’t drive through the night as this will lead to driver fatigue. Plan your road trip out so you and your traveling companions have a place to sleep every night of your journey.
- Don’t Text & Drive: If you receive a text, have a passenger read it for you or pull over. Remember, a text is not worth risking someone’s life, whether it’s your passenger or another driver or passenger on the road.
- Don’t drink and drive: even if it’s late at night and no one is on the road, or you’re out in the middle of nowhere. Even if you are extremely behind schedule to get to your next stop on the road, drinking and driving is not worth the risk of possibly harming yourself or another innocent person.
Keep Children & Animals Safe in the Heat
In the summer, people and animals are in danger of heatstroke. Whatever you do, never leave your children or your pets alone in your parked vehicle, even if you roll down the windows, or leave on the air conditioning.A child’s body temperature heats up 3 to 5 times faster than an adult’s, says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to NHTSA, even when outside temperatures are as low as 60 degrees, a parked car sitting outside in the sun can get to temperatures close to 110 degrees in less than 10 minutes.
At Berthold Law Firm, PLLC, we hope you have a safe and fun summer, but we understand accidents happen.If you and your family are involved in car accident due to negligence of another driver, contact our Charleston injury attorneys to file a claim for compensation.