With 84.4 million travelers taking to the roads this holiday season for a trip that will be greater than 50 miles, our nation’s highways are going to be pretty crowded in the coming weeks. To make sure that the number of crashes and injuries is as low as possible, American Trucking Associations is distributing safety tips to motorists of all sorts.
Safety begins with following those same rules that should be in effect at all times of the year. Distractions should be minimized so that your focus is on the road. Texting should be avoided regardless of the laws in place in whatever state you travel to, and you should only use your cellphone when you bring your vehicle to a halt.
You also want to take into account any adverse weather that can compromise safe driving conditions. If ice and snow are falling or have recently fallen, make sure to drive slowly and give yourself ample room to brake should the vehicle in front of you stop suddenly. Keeping a safe distance away also ensures that blowing snow from that vehicle doesn’t careen onto your automobile. You should be courteous to other motorists by cleaning snow and ice off your own vehicle so that their vision and safety won’t similarly be compromised.