5 Obvious But Frequently Ignored Road Safety Tips To Keep Safe Over The Long Weekend
It’s all too common to turn on the news to see a story about driving related fatalities that occurred over the long weekend. Unfortunately a long weekend during the summer often leads to an increase in the instances of drinking and driving and fatalities on our roads.
While one of the reasons for the increase in the number of accidents points to the fact that there are more drivers on the roads compared to a typical weekend, it’s still no excuse and we need to take extra precautions to keep safe over the long weekend, especially when driving.
There is a reason why we see a significant increase in the number of messages from media, police and road safety institutions as the long weekend approaches – They are more dangerous than the average weekend and road safety statistics back this up:
Holiday weekends see almost a 20% higher rate of fatal collisions than non-holiday weekends
One U.S. study found that six of the 10 deadliest days on the road occurred on major American holidays.
Tips To Stay Safe This Long Weekend
Here are some important road safety tips to keep safe:
1. Don’t drink and drive
Choosing not to drink and drive on the long weekend is imperative. If you are planning on drinking, make alternative arrangements to get home.
2. Avoid distracted driving
With the increased traffic that occurs during the long weekend, it is more important than ever to keep your eyes on the road and be focused on what you are doing. It only takes a second for something to go wrong and you need to be prepared.
3. Wear your seatbelt
One study found that there is an increase in the number of passengers and drivers that fail to use their seatbelt on long weekends. Always wear your seatbelt and limit the number of passengers in your vehicle to the number of working seatbelts.
4. Don’t put yourself in poor situations
This is important every time you get behind the wheel. Be aware of dangerous situations and make your best effort to avoid them. Do things like slow down when the conditions are poor and keep a safe distance from other vehicles.
5. Stay off the road when accidents tend to happen
Many of the accidents that occur on holiday weekends tend to happen late at night or early in the morning. If you must drive at these times, be extra cautious.
These types of accidents are not limited to roads. Accidents with other vehicles such as motorcycles, bicycles, ATVs, and boats are also issues during the long weekend, not to mention other safety issues involving water, sun exposure, fireworks, and accidents at home.
Be safe this coming long weekend. Don’t become another long weekend driving statistic!
Want to learn more about Road Safety?Check out 10 Road Safety Tips for Driving In the City and 5 Road Safety Tips for Driving in Traffic.