The holiday season is here again, the busiest time of the year to be on the road. Road users are distracted and stressed, which is why we see so many accidents throughout the holidays. That’s why Parallaxx has put together six important road safety tips/reminders to help get you home safely, and onto enjoying your rest and relaxation this summer.
Here are Six Road Safety Tips for the holiday
1. Buckle Up – No one ever intends to be in an accident, so ALWAYS take the time to wear your seatbelt. Seatbelts have been proven to reduce major injuries and give you the best chance of walking away from an accident. Studies have shown that the force on seatbelts can be as much as 20 times your weight – this is how hard you’d hit the inside of your vehicle without them!
2. Watch Out – It’s easy to get caught up in the stress and excitement that this time of year brings. Remember though, that everyone else is in the same mindset. This melting pot of busy roads and distracted road users means you’re going to see plenty of erratic behaviour. Increase your margin of error by playing it safe and watching out a bit more vigilantly than you might normally, this might help you avoid being on the receiving end of someone else’s bad-call.
3. Slow Down – One of the best ways to avoid accidents on the road is to keep your speed in check. Avoiding the ‘rush’ mentality, slowing down (or even just adhering to the speed limit), helps reduce the chances of an accident occurring, and greatly reduces their severity if one does happen. Plus, there’s the added bonus of avoiding any holiday speeding tickets, it’s a no brainer!.
4. Be Alert – There’s no doubt that this is a busy time of year. Most of us are wrapping up at work, thinking about Christmas shopping, and already mentally sitting in the sun at the beach. With all these distractions, you don’t need to add more to the list by using your phone or fiddling with the radio. Work to keep your focus on the task at hand, nothing will ruin your plans better than crashing into someone!
5. Be Considerate – Be patient, take a breath. It’s so easy to take our own stress and frustration out on other road users at this time of year. Try to remember that everyone else is probably in a similar mindset. Share the road, make gaps for people, try not to sweat the little things when other people make poor decisions. It’ll do wonders for your stress levels and hopefully help others with theirs.
6. Don’t Drink and Drive – We all know that alcohol and driving is a dangerous combination. Alcohol makes people more likely to make bad decisions and reduces your ability to react to surprises on the road. Play it safe by not mixing the two at all, or consider side-stepping the stress of holiday driving altogether by grabbing an Uber or sharing a ride with family or friends.
Keep these road safety tips in mind and you will surely get home safely, and enjoy your rest and relaxation.
