Road Safety Tips That Could Save Your Life

This time of the year is one of the most dangerous and busiest for Australian drivers. Hence it is imperative to be cautious and prepared for what you may face on the road. Due to the recent surge in the Covid cases, the government has imposed a safe and sensible controlled border arrangement. Consequently, these safety measures have enabled to ensure safe travel.

Domestic and international travel is on its way back to normal, which means that there will be a greater risk of transmission. Most of us plan a family road trip or a day out with friends to hang out. While spending quality time with close and dear ones is essential, but not at the expense of compromising their health.

Therefore, check out the top tips for staying safe during your long journey this holiday season.

Plan your journey deadline

You must be aware of how the roads and highways are during this time of the year if you have travelled before. Usually, the amount of time to reach a particular place gets indefinitely extended. In addition, due to congestion caused by too many cars, you may face traffic jams, resulting in frustration.

To curb a situation like this, you might want to plan your journey accordingly and go for a head start. To avoid mid-journey stress, try to hit the road early to reach your destination on time.

Be extra cautious

When people travel long distances, especially holiday drivers, it is normal for them to get tired, causing them to lose concentration or become distracted. Keeping this in mind, you must take extra measures. Get plenty of sleep before starting the journey; while on the road, ensure that you are aware of your surroundings.

Other extra defensive driving techniques include observing the rearview mirrors and traffic lights. Remember to position your vehicle so that you get a good view of yourself and others. Always maintain a four to five seconds distance between you and other drivers; all of these precautions minimise the risk of collision and other accidents.

Drive as per the conditions on the road

Maintaining the speed limit is crucial for driving, especially during holiday traffic. Furthermore, observing the road and weather conditions will help you adjust your driving behaviours accordingly.

If you are forced to stop frequently amidst traffic, the obvious step is to reduce the speed. Also, increase the distance between your vehicle and the one behind and before you. In addition to those travelling via country, roads should be more mindful, especially when overtaking other cars. You also need to be aware of higher speed limits, wildlife, potholes and farming machinery on the roads.

Take a break in between

On a three to four hours long journey, it is difficult not to make a few stops for refreshment or catch a break. In addition, travel exhaustion and anxiety to make it in time can cause lack of alertness. Hence, to function correctly and safely, take a break after every two hours of driving.

Check if the luggage is secure.

While hurrying to get to your destination, it can so happen that you forgot to check if the luggage is stored correctly or not. To ensure that the cargo or luggage does not come flying off while driving, pay extra attention when securing the load on the vehicle.

Just before you hit the road and while taking a break, it is a good idea to check the state of the luggage.

Lastly, celebrating while being responsible is the best way to go about and refrain from drinking or texting while driving.