9 Things to remember when driving home from your holiday!
When driving home from your holiday destination, it can be easy to slip into a lethargic pattern. Here are some things to remember to ensure your safety!
Make sure your vehicle is roadworthy!
Before heading home, stop off at any petrol station and make sure you check everything you can. This includes your tyre pressure, oil, water and even things like brake fluid. Do a thorough check and ensure that your vehicle will get you home safely!
Make sure you are well rested!
If you are going to be driving for a considerable amount of time, make sure you get a good 8 hours sleep the night before you leave. This will ensure that you are fresh and are able to concentrate for the entire drive.
Fatigue is one of the leading causes of road accidents, so make sure you’re alert at all times! If you feel like you’re falling asleep, stop immediately and take a power nap!
Spend a night at a halfway point!
If your holiday destination is really far, consider finding a nice halfway point and spend a night there! This way you won’t be rushing to get there and who knows it may even make a memory or two!
Avoid driving at night!
While the roads may be quieter at night, data reveals that driving at night is far more dangerous. The decrease in visibility impairs our judgement to evaluate speeds and distances. Driver fatigue for both you and other drivers will be higher, as well as other drunk drivers on the road.
Always wear your seatbelts!
Make sure that everyone in the car is wearing their seatbelts! All the safety features in cars have been designed under the assumption that passengers are wearing their seatbelts. If you don’t wear yours, these safety features will not work as intended if you get into an accident. Even the passengers in the back should wear their seatbelts at all times!
Stick to the speed limit!
Stick to the speed limits, driving over the limit will significantly increase the risk of a road accident. On the other hand, travelling too slow also puts you at risk. Drivers will be constantly overtaking you and might be taking risks to do so.
Be careful when overtaking!
Some people may choose to drive under the speed limit and you will be wanting to overtake them. So if you are overtaking, only do it if you are completely comfortable. Make sure you can get past the car in front of you and back into your lane, with a decent margin for error.
Stay alert!
Be aware of your surroundings and what’s going on. Make sure you are as observant as positive while driving. If you can identify dangerous situations before they happen, you can avoid them completely!
Don’t drink and drive!
This is fairly obvious, but don’t drive under the influence of any substances that can impair your judgement. As much as 58% of all road accident fatalities in South Africa are caused as a result of drunk driving.
It’s also advisable not to drink the night before if you are going to be driving home the next day. Driving while hungover will impair your ability to concentrate.