Summer is one of the busiest times of year on U.S. roadways. Whether you’ll be on a summer road trip or just regularly commuting with other motorists, here are some essential driving safety tips for summer (and beyond).1 These tips can help you minimize your risk of an auto accident:
- Maintain your vehicle – Get your car serviced. Check and maintain your tires. The heat of summer can impact how your vehicle operates, and it can increase the risk of tire blowouts (especially if your tires are at least a few years old). Also, be sure to check for any recalls affecting your car and to follow through with the recall remedy.
- Keep a safety kit in your vehicle – A good safety kit should have flares/a flashlight, a cellphone/cellphone battery, jumper cables, water and blankets (at least). This kit can be incredibly helpful if you end up on the side of the road waiting for help (either after a crash or a breakdown).
- Buckle up always – Make sure you and all your passengers are properly restrained every time you get in the vehicle. Use the proper safety seat for babies or younger children. Wearing a seatbelt can cut your risk of fatal or serious injuries in half if a crash happens.
- Only drive when alert, focused and sober – In other words, do NOT get behind the wheel if you are exhausted, if you are not prepared to concentrate on the task of driving, or if you are not sober. Fatigue, distraction and impaired driving are among the leading causes of wrecks and traffic deaths.
- Share the road – Look for motorcyclists, bicycle riders and pedestrians, all of which tend to be out in greater numbers during the warm summer months. Be especially careful to check for these travelers near or at intersections.
- Don’t speed – Always abide by the speed limit. Speeding can be as dangerous and deadly as drunk driving. And both are 100 percent preventable.
- Abide by the “Move Over” law – Whether police, other travelers or road maintenance workers are on the road or the shoulder, always comply with the Move Over Law. Here are more details about New Jersey’s Move Over Law.
- Comply with all other traffic laws – Stop at red lights, yield the right-of-way and abide by all other traffic laws. Doing so will keep you where other motorists expect you to be, and that can be key to helping all travelers on the road make appropriate decisions behind the wheel.
- Drive defensively – Don’t expect that other drivers are as attentive, sober or compliant with the laws as you are. In fact, anticipate that other motorists are going to break the law. This can help you take the right action at a moment’s notice if – or when – they do.
- Check your route before longer trips – This can alert you to road closures or other conditions that are important to be aware of before a longer road trip. Also, be sure to share your plans for longer road trips with someone else. If you don’t reach your destination for whatever reason, others will know where to start looking for you.
Hurt in a Wreck? Contact a Middlesex County Car Accident Lawyer at Mayo Law, P.A
If you or someone you love has been involved in an auto wreck, contact a Middlesex County car accident lawyer at Mayo Law, P.A. for more information about your potential claim and recovery options.
Call us at (732) 613-3100 or toll free at (888) MAYO-LAW. You can also email our firm. Initial consultations are free, and we do not charge any legal fees until or unless compensation is secured for your claim.
From offices based in Middlesex County, our attorneys provide the highest quality legal services to people through New Jersey, as well as nationwide.
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1: More summer safety driving tips from transportation safety authorities at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
