Driving safely during festive seasons is more challenging.
The holidays are a time for celebrating and spending time together with friends and loved ones.
However, the festive season is also fraught with even more dangers. If you want to drive safely during these periods, here are five things to watch out for.
DRUNK DRIVERS
You have wisely opted to never drink and drive. But not every motorist out there thinks like you do.
With all the merrymaking, the chances of encountering a drunk driver are especially high during the holidays.
Watch out for cars that drift from one lane to the next. Or look out for cars that seem to be driven “aimlessly”. It could be a drunk driver.
Give that vehicle as wide a berth as you can. And if the car is being driven recklessly, ask one of your passengers (hopefully the one not inebriated) to make a police report.
DRUNK PEDESTRIANS
If there are drunk motorists, there are also drunk pedestrians to challenge your goal of driving safely.
Be extra careful when driving to popular nightspots. Groups of people who’ve stumbled out of pubs may not pay attention to traffic.
INEBRIATED FRIENDS
Congratulations on volunteering to be the designated driver. You have given up a night of drinking to help ensure the safety of your friends.
However, these buddies of yours who are “overjoyed” could be a problem. They may refuse to buckle up, or worse, attempt to interfere with your driving.
It is your duty as the driver to ensure your passengers are safely buckled up in the car. It’s all part of driving safely during the holidays.
CAR TROUBLE
With so many parties and events to organise and attend, there’s a chance you’ll forget that service appointment you booked.
Never neglect your vehicle. During servicing, a competent mechanic will warn you of potential problems. A weak battery for instance, could leave you stranded.
If you know you’ll be doing a lot of driving to visit friends and relatives, give your tyres a visual inspection. Make sure they’re correctly inflated and more importantly, not worn to the tread indicators.
And if you hear any funny noises, see if you can send in your car for a quick check. You don’t want to lose the use of your car – just when you need it most.
FORGETTING TO TURN ON YOUR HEADLIGHTS
It’s funny how we can forget to do the most basic things. Turning on your headlights is a no-brainer.
But how many drivers have we seen driving around at night with the headlights off? Personally, I see at least one every night.
If your car has automatic headlights, just set them to “Auto”. They’ll be automatically turned on when it gets dark. They’ll automatically be turned off when you switch off the engine and lock your vehicle.
Remember, an illuminated instrument panel does not mean your headlights are on!
Drive safe and happy holidays!
