Road Travel Safety Tips This Christmas

As Christmas approaches and more of us use our roads, please remember to stay safe this year. In December 2018 alone there were 98 fatalities on the road, with a further 119 in January 2019 so we’ve decided to put together some of the best road travel safety tips for the summer holidays.

1 BE PATIENT

During peak holiday periods it’s important to be patient, as there is likely to be extra traffic on the road. Don’t be tempted to speed to catch up on any lost time. It’s simply not worth the risk. Apart from increasing your chances of having a serious crash, you also run the risk of receiving a hefty fine. On Thursday, police launched their annual Christmas Road Safety Campaign, warning that motorists caught breaking the law would receive an unwanted and costly Christmas gift.

2 WATCH OUT FOR PEDESTRIANS

Drive slowly and cautiously and watch out for pedestrians, particularly in busy car parks. This year we’ve fitted out many car parks with our classic Speed Hump to reduce crashes and increase pedestrian safety. While driving slowly through a car park, your phone might seem inviting but using mobile phones for both talking and texting messages to friends, coworkers and family is dangerous.

3 DRIVE DEFENSIVELY

Keep yourself and the others in your vehicle safe by not responding to other drivers on the road who may be driving aggressively. Let aggressive drivers pass you by and put the safety of those in your vehicle first when driving during the holiday season.

4 BE PREPARED

One of the simplest tasks for a new driver to tackle during the holidays is to make sure your vehicle is running properly. This means checking all fluid levels, tire pressure, lights and windshield wipers before taking a trip during the holidays. This is a great opportunity to have your battery checked for any possible issues as well.

5 MAP YOUR ROUTE

There isn’t much that can be more frustrating for a driver than not knowing the best path to take in order to reach their desired destination. The only thing that can make a situation like that worse is to add holiday traffic. To keep your cool as a driver on your way to a holiday gathering this year be sure to have your route planned out well ahead of your trip. Adding a few alternate routes, in case of poor road conditions or lots of traffic is a good way to keep stress levels down as well.

6. REPORT UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS

If you see something unsafe, like a pothole or an area that could use some traffic calming measures like a speed hump or a rumble bar remember to report it to council.

7. DO NOT CROSS FLOODED WATERS

Flooding season is upon us and no matter how shallow water appears. Do not try to cross it with your vehicle. It can lead to dire consequences.

Follow our road travel safety tips and ensure you and your family get to your destination safely.

GOODBYE AND SEE YOU NEXT YEAR

That’s it from Speed Humps Australia for this year. Once again we express our gratitude to all of our customers. Have a very Merry Christmas.

We will still be operating throughout the holiday season so please feel free to contact us should you be in need of any of Speed Humps Australia’s products including speed humps, rumble bars or wheel stops.