Travelers: Take extra precautions this time of year
‘Tis the season to be careful on the roadways, because others sometimes aren’t.
Also, ‘tis the season to be prepared, like Boy Scouts, or Santa when they go trekking. A little preparation goes a long way if something goes wrong.
Santa may make the longest trip of the season, but his is not the only one.
About 60 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from their homes during this Christmas holiday, according to the Arkansas State Police.
The amount of traffic on the highways this weekend means drivers need to be prepared.
ASP offers the following tips so people reach their destinations safely.
■ Make sure that your car is wellequipped for travel. Check the tire tread, battery, antifreeze, windows and brakes.
■ Allow extra time in your schedule. This is one of the busiest times to travel and patience and flexibility is needed.
■ Have a cell phone with you, but keep your eyes on the road and not on the phone.
■ Avoid driving during late night hours. There is an increased incidence of drunk driving during this time, especially on weekends.
■ Keep a safety kit in your vehicle. The kit should include a flashlight with extra batteries, jumper cables, first aid kit, water, non-perishable food items, matches, blankets, and flares or other warning devices.
■ Driving while drowsy can be as dangerous as driving after drinking alcohol. Schedule your trip to avoid driving during normal sleep hours. Plan for at least a 15-minute rest stop every two hours.
■ Even if the weather and roads look okay in your neighborhood, that may not be the case 200 miles away at a relative’s house. Find out the weather
conditions of the interstates and roads you will be traveling on.
■ Wear a seat belt.
■ Keep anything of value in the trunk or covered storage area.
■ If you’re traveling with children, remind them not to talk to strangers. Go with them on bathroom breaks and give them whistles to be used only if the family gets separated.
As reported earlier, but repeated as a useful example here, there were 2,462 DUIalcohol related traffic crashes in Texas last December. There were 93 related deaths and 215 related injuries.
Closer to home, during the same time period in Northeast Texas there were two fatalities and 3 series injuries among the 37 DUIalcohol related traffic crashes.
According to the National Safety Council, on average about 340 people become traffic-death statistics during the 3-day Christmas holiday, and similarly, about 37o people perish on roadways during the 3-day New Year holiday.
As you can see, examples of holiday-related driving trends know no state boundaries. They represent seasonal recurrences that are predictable, so be practical and prudent, officials say. Santa may have a long drive and a short timeline, but, for the rest of us, when it comes to getting on the road, slow down and don’t take shortcuts when it comes to safety.