Memorial Day weekend not only kicks off summer but also the American Automobile Association’s 100 Deadliest Days, a list of days when you should be extra cautious as a motorist.
While the safety of you and other motorists on the road should be your main priority 365 days a year, taking some additional care is never a bad idea. Here are a few ways to stay safe on the road this summer.
1. Keep Your Car Well-Maintained for Safe Driving
Having a well-maintained vehicle can make a huge difference in safety. According to CarsDirect, the three components of a car that are most frequently reported to cause vibrations when they fail or acquire damage are universal joints (U-Joints), couplers, and carrier bearings.
For most car owners, the state of these parts of their car might not be a priority. Still, if you want to stay safe on the road, every part of your car from the brakes to the carrier bearings needs to be in top working order.
If it’s been a while since you’ve had your car inspected, it can be a good idea to get it inspected before major holidays like Memorial Day. Since you might encounter unsafe drivers on the road and have to deploy your defensive driving skills, you should ensure that you’ll be able to do so without damaging your car.
When you intend to take a long road trip around major holidays, it’s especially important to get your car checked out before rubber meets the road for a longer distance than you usually would drive.
2. Be Prepared to See More Cars on the Road
One of the reasons why the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are some of the deadliest for motorists is because there are more drivers on the road. Not only are teen drivers out and about now that they’re out of school but there are also more people moving during this time of the year.
About 3 million Americans make an interstate move every year. Regardless of why there are more cars on the road this time of year, you should anticipate that there will be more vehicles and plan for longer commute times due to traffic as well as higher stress from the increase in variables.
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3. Double Check Your Blind Spots and Look for Motorcyclists
Since motorcycles are smaller than cars, they can go under the radar and have devastating consequences in car accidents. To avoid an accident, you should look for motorcycles in your blind spots.
Usually, you should have a maximum of three years to file a motorcycle accident claim. As a result, you should file a claim for a motorcycle accident as soon as possible if you end up in one of these types of motor incidents.
4. Prepare Teen Drivers
If you have teen drivers, you should know that this time of year can be especially unsafe for them. Instead of assuming that your teens will have the skills and competency to stay safe on the road, you should take the time to have a conversation with them about how to stay safer on the road during the summer.
This conversation might look like going over safe driving skills, encouraging them to take ride-share services to avoid distracted driving, and explaining the importance of driving at or below the speed limit when possible.
To stay safe as a driver or motorcyclist during the 100 Deadliest Days, you should take our tips above into consideration. Although this time of year can be unsafe for drivers, you shouldn’t let that stop you from getting on the road. You can take steps to be safe while still enjoying summer fun.