Making Sure You Arrive In One Piece
Whether we like it or not, occasionally we will need to go on long journeys which can be uncomfortable and boring. Because some methods of transportation can be quite expensive, or fully booked, we may have no option but to go by road and to drive ourselves. Of course, the discomfort and monotony is one concern but another more pressing concern is safety. If you are going on a long road journey, there are things you should do, or not do, to help ensure you arrive in one piece.
Don’t Drink
To be honest, if you need to be told not to drink before driving, you should probably not be driving in the first place. Drinking can severely affect your judgement and reactions, leading to severe accidents and even slightly impaired judgement and reactions can also lead to carnage. Even if you feel fine, you are probably not fine at all and are putting yourself and others at risk. If you have just woken up after a night of heavy drinking then alcohol is still likely flowing through your system, again meaning you are not fit to drive. You don’t have to drink and you could always treat yourself as much as you like once you have arrived at your destination, so you really should just wait until you have arrived safely.
Safety Checks
If something on your car fails, you could find yourself in all sorts of trouble. If the brakes don’t feel right, get them checked. If you find oil beneath the car something could be wrong, and you should consider going to a mechanic to be sure. Worn tyres are also a potential hazard so if your tyres do look as though the tread is wearing a little thin, you really should have them replaced with a new set. With everything in good condition and working as it should do, you are less likely to have an accident and more likely to arrive without anything nasty happening.
Be Mindful Of Others Drivers
It doesn’t matter how good a driver you may be, and it doesn’t matter how careful you may be driving, you are still at risk from the actions of other drivers on the road. Make sure to keep your distance from other drivers on the road and should you notice a driver behaving erratically, get even more distance between yourself and them. Don’t let other drives pressure you into doing something you would not normally do either. If somebody is driving very closely behind you, for example, just move aside and let them past.
Keep Your Eye on the Road
On long journeys it may be easy to become distracted and take your eye of the road and doing so for even just a moment can be fatal. Things can change in an instant on the road and if you are not fully alert of them, you may fail to react and have an accident as a result. If you have a TV screen on your dashboard and are tempted to put a movie on think again because it could turn out to be a very costly error. Should you have children in the back that are making a nuisance of themselves, make sure you get them settled down because paying attention to them instead of what’s ahead of you could also result in a tragic situation. If you are going to be driving over very long distances, consider having a driving partner with you so that you can take it in turns. One of the biggest killers on the roads is tiredness so having somebody to take over when your eyes are getting heavy could help to save lives. If you are driving alone, or without another licenced driver in the car, you should make sure that you pull over and have a proper rest when you need to because it is essential that you are alert.
Long journeys can often be quite hazardous, although cheap insurance for young drivers will ensure that you are covered should you have an accident.