Many people choose to take advantage of the warm weather and long hours of the summer months by packing up the car and hitting the open road. Road trips offer families, friends, and couples an opportunity to spend quality time together, and are a fun way to explore different places and tourist spots en route to your destination. With a road trip, you have complete control over your route and can let serendipity take over if you feel like it. And, depending on the length of your trip and the number of travelers, traveling by car rather than by plane could also save you money.
However, it is important to properly plan for summer road trips to avoid breakdowns along the way, or worse, a traffic accident that results in serious injuries and property damage. If you are planning a road trip this summer, consider following these safety tips:
Tip 1: Perform a Vehicle Check
Before you hit the road this summer, it is crucial to ensure that your vehicle is in good working condition. The last thing you want to deal with on your vacation is for your vehicle to break down on the road, particularly in a remote location.
- Check your tires – Use a tire pressure gauge to make sure that your tires contain the appropriate air pressure. The recommended PSI should be listed on the side of your vehicle’s tires.
- Check coolant and other fluids – Ensure that your vehicle has sufficient coolant, motor oil, and replace other fluids as necessary, including washer fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, and brake fluid.
- Make sure lights and wiper blades are working properly – Check your headlights, brake lights, turn signals, hazards, and interior lights for bulbs that have burned out, and if necessary, replace windshield wipers that have begun to deteriorate.
- Inspect batteries – Make sure that your battery is charging as it should, and replace it if necessary.
You should also check for any critical safety recalls that may affect your vehicle before you leave on your trip. You can use the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) safety recall tool to determine whether your vehicle is part of any recall.
Tip 2: Protect Yourself and Your Passengers
Buckle up and encourage your passengers to wear their seatbelts. In Georgia, front seat occupants are required to use seat belts at all times. Adults do not have to wear seat belts in the back seat in Georgia, but we highly recommend doing so. Per the NHTSA, wearing a seatbelt in the front seat reduces your risk of fatal injury in an accident by 50 percent.
You can also protect yourself and your children by making sure that any children under 13 are buckled up and riding in the back seat, and that car seats are correctly installed in your vehicle. For specific recommendations, visit the NHTSA’s car seat page.
Tip 3: Pack an Emergency Survival Kit
You should pack an emergency kit containing various items you might need if your vehicle breaks down.
We recommend including the following items in your emergency kit:
- First aid kit
- Cell phone
- Car charger
- Maps (for when your phone dies!)
- Non-perishable snacks
- Drinking water
- Flashlight
- Jumper cables
- Carjack
- Lug wrench
- Tool kit
- Gloves
- Tire pressure gauge
- Blankets and coats in case of cold weather
- Emergency flares
You should also plan your route before you hit the open road. Whether you are using paper maps or inputting this information into a GPS or cell phone, allow yourself adequate time to safely arrive at your destination. Be sure to check the weather forecast and traffic conditions before heading out.
Tip 4: Special Summertime Considerations
In the summer, the sweltering heat puts added pressure on your vehicle’s air conditioner. Before you go on your road trip, you should make sure that your air conditioner is performing well. If your car’s air conditioner goes out on the road, everyone in the vehicle could be impacted, especially young children and elderly individuals.
You should also never leave children or pets alone in a parked vehicle during the summer months. Without air-conditioning, the vehicle can quickly heat up, and those left inside can suffer heatstroke. “Hot car” deaths are a tragically common occurrence in the summer months, so never leave anyone in your vehicle unattended.
Driving Safety Tips
Consider following these driving safety tips to reduce your risk of being involved in a crash:
- Don’t get distracted – There are three main types of driving distractions: visual, manual, and cognitive. Any activity that causes you to take your eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or focus off the task of driving can lead to severe accidents. One of the most common types of distracted driving is texting and driving. Even looking down at your phone for a few seconds can lead to a crash. You can protect yourself and your passengers by remaining alert and avoiding distractions.
- Avoid dangerous driving behaviors – You can also protect yourself by avoiding dangerous behaviors like speeding, tailgating (following at an unsafe distance), driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving while fatigued, and driving too fast for conditions. Obey all traffic laws and signage.
If you are involved in an accident, call 911 and check to see if anyone involved in the accident was injured. If you were injured and the accident was caused by another driver’s negligence, you could hold them accountable for your losses through a third-party insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
When to Contact a Georgia Car Accident Attorney
If you are injured in a car accident that was caused by someone else, you could be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, and non-financial losses like pain and suffering.
To have the best chance of securing fair financial relief, you should hire a skilled Georgia car accident attorney to represent you. At Brauns Law Accident and Injury Lawyers PC, our attorneys have the knowledge and resources to help you recover damages and get your life back on track. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your legal options.
