Dec 01, 2008 in News Blogs

Blogs: Holiday Driving Safety Tips

Driving during the holidays doesn't have to be stressful or dangerous. By planning ahead, packing and preparing properly, and allowing plenty of time for long trips you can help ensure your safety on the road. Vehicle Preparation and Packing: Have your vehicle checked before travelling. Many garages offer safety checks for tire tread and pressure, lights, brakes, cooling systems and other components. Make sure everything is securely stowed when you pack your vehicle. Even small objects can become dangerous missiles in the event of a sudden stop or a crash. It is important to know who is responsible when something falls off your car. Trailers and Caravans: Load heavy objects evenly over all of the axles. Check all towing attachments and make sure the couplings are compatible. Also remember to check the safety chain, trailer lights, tires and brakes. Remember that if you are towing a trailer your maximum speed limit on the open road is 80 km/h. Keep left and pull over when it is safe to let other vehicles pass. Driver Fatigue: Holiday driving often means spending several hours behind the wheel. Long journeys can be tiring, and fatigue can be fatal behind the wheel. There are some simple ways to avoid fatigue and improve your alertness:

• Have plenty of sleep before your journey and try to drive at times of the day when you are normally awake.
• Take your time and plan for rest breaks every couple of hours. Get out of your vehicle and take a short walk or do some other exercise to get your blood flowing and improve alertness. If you feel tired, take a short nap (less than 40 minutes).
• If possible, share the driving.
• Don't drink and drive, and don't speed. Many fatigue-related crashes also involve these two factors.
• Turn on air conditioning if your vehicle has it. Cool air will keep you more alert and will help avoid frustration and stress, which is a major cause of fatigue. Make sure your air conditioning is set to the ?fresh air? mode.

Keep your Cool: Driving can be a frustrating experience at the best of times. Add in busy roads and stifling heat and your patience can evaporate very quickly. For safety's sake don't let that happen. There are simple and easy ways to keep your cool and stay in control:

• Be courteous - let others merge into traffic and use your indicators before turning or changing lanes.
• Use the left lane to pass ONLY. If you?re a slower driver, pull over when you can to let others pass. Be patient and don't be provoked by other drivers? aggressive behaviour.

Keep an Eye Out for Kids: Watch out for children on the road. Young cyclists and pedestrians can be unpredictable and poor judges of vehicle speed. Young children may also be learning to ride new bikes over the holidays. Please respect cycle lanes. Keep an eye out for learner drivers - the holidays are a popular time to learn to drive. Buckle Up: Too many family holidays are marred by tragedy when a crash occurs and people aren't properly restrained. It's the driver's responsibility to make sure that all passengers are wearing safety belts. The law requires children to be restrained in approved child seats suitable to their size and weight. There is a $150 fine for each person not buckled up. Share the Road: Traffic volumes increase significantly during the holidays. You will have to share the road with other cars, as well as heavy trucks, buses, camper vans and vehicles towing boats or caravans. Keep the following points in mind:

• Keep a safe following distance between yourself and the vehicle in front. This gives you a safe stopping distance should the vehicle in front of you stop suddenly;
• Be patient. Trucks and towing vehicles have lower speed limits. If you're traveling behind a slower vehicle, wait for a passing lane or until you can see clear road ahead of you and enough space to overtake safely; and
• Avoid overtaking a larger vehicle, don't slow down quickly or cut in too closely. Larger vehicles take a longer time to brake and you could end up getting hit from behind.

Taken from the Brain Injury Association of Quinte District ?On The Sunnier Side? December newsletter. If you have suffered an injury due to a motor vehicle accident, contact a Toronto car accident lawyer at Neinstein to help you with your recovery and get the compensation that you deserve.