Christmas is coming!!!!
It is a special time for family celebration, so make sure that you celebrate and return home safely. Last year, there were 10 fatalities in NSW and nearly 533 people got injured during Christmas Holidays. We hope that our Holiday Driving Safety Tips will help you to make a little improvement in your road user behaviour and keep the holiday season safe for you, your family and other commuters.
It is a special time for family celebration, so make sure that you celebrate and return home safely. Last year, there were 10 fatalities in NSW and nearly 533 people got injured during Christmas Holidays. We hope that our Holiday Driving Safety Tips will help you to make a little improvement in your road user behaviour and keep the holiday season safe for you, your family and other commuters.
Drink Driving
Alcohol affects your driving skills, moods and behaviour. Once it's been consumed the effects cannot be reversed. The only thing that will sober you up is time. Getting back to zero (sobering up), takes a long time. No amount of coffee, food, physical activity or sleep will speed up the process.
You don't have to be drunk to be affected by alcohol. You might feel normal but no one drives as well after drinking alcohol.
Novice drivers with any level of alcohol in their blood are at a much higher risk of crashing. This is why learner and provisional licence holders are restricted to a zero alcohol limit.
Driver Fatigue
When setting off on a long trip don't leave too early in the morning because your body clock believes you should still be asleep.
Have a 15 minute rest every two hours. On a long trip, especially in holiday season, there are nearly 1400 rest areas across NSW. You will see plenty of signs and warnings about STOP, REVIVE & SURVIVE - so please take advantage of them. Make this a habit if you are on long drives.
Keep an eye out for the signs of driver fatigue which are: yawning; sweaty hands; tired eyes; poor concentration; restlessness; drowsiness; boredom; slow reactions; and over-steering.
Tow Check
If towing a trailer or caravan, ensure:
- good tyre condition and suitable tyre pressure (including spare)
- towbar & towing equipment is secure
- all electrical connections are secure and lights work correctly
- trailer brakes work correctly
- rear view mirrors are adjusted correctly
Distance between Your Car and the Car in FrontIt's a good idea to always keep a minimum three seconds gap between you and the car in front. When it's raining and/or foggy, double the distance to six seconds no matter what speed you're doing.
Smooth Driving
Don't rush into things. Plan ahead when driving. Make early decisions on braking and accelerating. Change gears and brake smoothly to avoid skidding. This will provide a smoother drive for yourself and your passengers while also providing less wear and tear on the vehicle and helping you save on fuel costs.
Keep Left Unless Overtaking
When driving on a dual lane road, always keep to the left lane. Use the right hand lane for overtaking; turning right or when roadworks are being carried out and there is no other choice.
Indicate Early
Always indicate when changing lanes, 30 metres wherever practical, to advise other motorists of what you are doing.
Expect the Unexpected
Drive with your line of sight parallel to the road, not looking down onto it. By doing this you see further into the distance so you can be better prepared if there is a problem ahead. It may even mean you can avoid a crash.
Overtaking
Ensure you have enough room to go past the vehicle you are overtaking and not cut them off. Pick your time carefully as overtaking can be quite dangerous and making the wrong decision may result in a serious crash.
Stopping before the Intersection
Always slow down coming to an intersection especially if you are towing a van. Your braking distance will be greater than when you're not towing, so make sure you allow for this. You must stop on a stop sign/line.
Driving at Night
Driving at night requires more skill and concentration than at daytime due to your restricted vision. Oncoming headlights can obscure your vision and pedestrians can be near impossible to see. Leave a bigger gap between you and the car in front to allow for your reduced vision and reaction time.
Road Rage
Stay relaxed and try not to let other people's driving skills or decisions worry you. If another driver makes a mistake, don't get angry; just concentrate on your own driving skills, behaviour and safety. If another driver is courteous towards you, then acknowledge the good deed with a wave.
Brilliant post,Very interesting and it keeps me to read the whole post.I will copy the link and share to my friends for them also to be aware and inform about your safe tips to road trip.
ReplyDeleteAggressive drivers are known road hazards, causing one third of all traffic crashes. But inattentive driving is becoming more of a problem as people "multitask" by talking on the phone, texting or checking messages, as they drive.
ReplyDeleteRoad accidents rates are rising day by day. So it is time to drive safely following all traffic rules. Alcohol is the major cause of many accidents so avoid alcohol while driving . The next thing to avoid is phone while driving. If you have urgent calls then answer them by stopping your vehicle. If we focus on these small things then we can avoid the fatal accidents.
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