Halfway through summer, many Connecticut families are looking forward to family vacations and road trips just before the kids head back to school. Others have their summer vacations in the background, but all benefit from studying the best ways to drive in the summer and the unique hazards that come with summer driving.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one of the most important things drivers should do during the summer is stay alert. This is important during every season of the year, but there are unique obstacles that come up during the summer that require a driver to be fully awake and alert, particularly for a long road trip. Even when driving with young kids, drivers should only have their attention on the road, not the phone, the radio or even the children.
Warmer weather also leads to more motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians on the road. While drivers travel it is important for all involved that they learn how to share the road. Drivers should keep at least three to four seconds between them and a motorcycle in front of them and always signal when merging with traffic or changing lanes.
When it comes to pedestrians, drivers should also watch for them to be distracted. Distracted walking is quickly becoming a large problem with traffic accidents and they can be hard to see at night or in bad weather. Drivers should always assume that the pedestrian cannot see the vehicle and it is their responsibility to avoid contact with them.
AAA also suggests that drivers know their route before leaving. It is easy to rely only on GPS or a phone app for directions, but this can easily become a distraction that leads to a tragedy. Particularly in unfamiliar areas, drivers should study the roads long before leaving.
