Road Trip Safety Tips
Cars are safer than they've ever been - but what about us?Air bags and crumple zones certainly make a car more crashworthy. But they don't make it less likely we'll crash the car. That's still up to us, to a great extent.
Mostly, it's a matter of exercising common sense.
That would include:
* Staying awake
Each of us knows we can drive "x" number of hours before we start to become sleepy. Some can motor on for eight hours straight. Others need breaks every three or four hours (or even more frequently). But sooner or later, we all need to make a pit stop. Pushing it beyond our ability to stay alert and involved in the act of driving is something many of us have done - and paid for, in the form of a wreck that didn't have to happen. So when you're beginning to feel tired, pull over. Get some coffee; go for a short walk. Recline the seat, lock the doors and take a catnap - or check into a hotel for the night. But don't keep on driving. "Getting there" is less important than staying in one piece.
* Staying reasonable
When someone cuts you off or rides your bumper, the temptation is to flip them the bird or otherwise make your displeasure known. But that can (and sometimes, does) just escalate the situation. Two drivers hurling insults at each other and using their cars as tow-ton projections of their rage can have ugly results. Even if you've been objectively wronged, the best policy is to give the inconsiderate/rude/dangerous driver as wide a berth as you can - and use your cell phone, if necessary, to call the cops if the guy is genuinely being reckless. Let them deal with it. And drive on. You have no way of knowing how far the other driver might take things. You could be ready for a shouting match. He might have a gun.
* Stay polite
This one's related to "staying reasonable." Extending common courtesy to your fellow motorists eases tension on the road and makes for a much more civil (and safe) experience. Let merging traffic merge. Don't park your car in the fast lane with the cruise control set at 1 mph over the speed limit. Pay attention to what's going on around you - and be ready to move when the light turns green, not too busy chatting on your cell phone to notice. And if you inadvertently do something you shouldn't have/didn't mean to - such as pulling out in front of someone - a smile and "I'm sorry" hand signals can defuse tensions quickly. We all make mistakes - and most people are quick to forgive - provided the mistake is acknowledged.
* Stay focused
If you are the driver, your focus should be on the road at all times; everything else - kids, what's on the radio, fiddling with the GPS or making a call, etc. - ought to be secondary. As cars have grown in complexity, potential distractions have multiplied - and the number of accidents attributable to "addled driving" continues to increase. Though it's very tempting to "multi-task" behind the wheel - especially when you spend two or three hours per day in your vehicle - it's a temptation that should always be resisted.
* Stay prepared
Though modern cars are exceptionally reliable (tire failures, to cite just one example, are becoming much less common) it's still smart to anticipate potential problems and try to be prepared for them. That might include keeping a can of emergency tire inflator/sealant with the vehicle - especially when you are headed out on a long trip (or are someone who might have difficulty changing a tire by yourself). A cell phone, pad and pencil (not pen; they can leak or just stop working), emergency flares, loose change (for using pay phones when cell service is unavailable) are good things to have in the glovebox or trunk, too. If you're traveling alone, it's also smart policy to let someone know where you're headed - and when you expect to return.
Just in case.
