Holiday Driving
As many of us look forward to getting away in the September/October school holidays it is worth remembering that a little forethought and preparation can reduce the stresses of a long road trip as well as save you time, money and even a life.
Here are a few tips to help turn the long haul into a more pleasant experience.
- Maintain your vehicle
Carrying out simple tasks like cleaning the windscreen and side mirrors, checking tyre pressure and brake fluid and ensuring that your vehicle is fully serviced means that you are more likely to arrive safely.
- Plan your trip
With the use of a trip planner you can customise your trip by incorporating stops for fuel, food and other services. The Caltex trip planner provides you with maps and step-by-step directions.
- Don’t drive when tired
Driver fatigue can happen to anyone. You should use a trip planner to plan stops every 2 hours. Driving when you would normally be asleep (like very early in the morning or late at night) significantly increases the risks associated with driver fatigue.
- Take care when driving on unfamiliar roads
The unfamiliarity of country roads means that you must be more alert to potentially dangerous situations not normally experienced on city roads. Be aware of road and weather conditions as well as other vehicles, especially trucks. Take care when overtaking, using designated lanes where possible.
- Make the trip fun for younger passengers
Long trips can be very uninteresting for children. Planning regular stops, packing plenty of snacks and drinks as well as playing road games are just a few ways of easing the boredom and making it a more relaxed trip for everyone.
And remember, children should always be properly restrained whilst in the car.
- Don’t speed
Speeding is a contributing factor to almost half of the fatal road accidents on country roads. You must adjust your speed according to the road and traffic conditions.
- Don’t drink and drive
Don’t jeopardise the safety of yourself, your passengers and other drivers by drinking and driving. The legal limit for learners and p-platers is zero, commercial drivers is under 0.02 and for all other drivers is under 0.05.
- Have an emergency plan
It is a good idea to have a plan of action in case of an emergency. If you are involved in an accident or are assisting at the scene of an accident you should:
- Be mindful of your own and your passengers safety.
- Remain calm, turn off the engine and turn on hazard lights or headlights.
- Call the police and/or ambulance on 000 (112 from some mobiles) if required.
- Assist the injured where possible.
- Collect all the relevant details for your insurance claim from the party/parties involved.
So plan ahead, drive safely and enjoy your holiday!
For more information contact:
Carolyn Taylor
(02) 9494 1000
ctaylor@sgfleet.com
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