5 safe driving tips for holidays

If you’re planning a long car trip in the summer holidays, you want to arrive safely. Make sure you check your vehicle thoroughly or organise a service before you set off. Then follow our 5 safe driving tips for an enjoyable holiday.

1. Secure your loads

Securing all the extra stuff you want to take on holiday is a vital safe driving task. The last thing you want is a surfboard falling off at high speed and damaging other vehicles nearby. You may not be used to driving with loads on the roof or attached to the rear of your vehicle. Whether it’s a suitcase or a bicycle, it needs to be securely attached. It might even need to be covered to handle any sort of weather.

Before leaving home, make sure you check more than once that the load is secure. You might even ask someone else to have a look. Meanwhile, all these extra belongings make your vehicle heavier than usual, so keep that in mind for safe driving.

2. Restrain your pets

Many people take their pets on holiday but they don’t restrain their pets in the car. You can see them moving around ute trays, sitting on the front seat, or poking their heads out of windows. Pets are part of the family and it’s important – and legal – to restrain them.

There are 3 good, simple reasons to use a restraint while travelling:

• You as the driver are less likely to become distracted.
• Your dog won’t jump or fall out of the window after sudden braking or jolting.
• They won’t become a heavy projectile and collide with you or your passengers.

The only way to safe driving with your dog is to restrain them on the back seat in a harness, or crate.

3. Drive to the conditions

There’s a big difference between driving to the speed limit and driving to conditions. It seems obvious, but how many drivers adjust their driving for heavy rain, high winds or potholed roads? You may not be accustomed to different conditions on country roads or travelling at high speed around heavy trucks. Meanwhile, heavy holiday traffic makes conditions for safe driving even more tricky.

• Follow the 2-second rule and leave 2 seconds between you and the driver in front. When it is dark, raining or foggy, make that 4-5 seconds.
• Be careful when overtaking on country roads, watching out for wildlife, potholes and farm machinery.
• Travel at a sensible speed on loose gravel as it can create dust clouds or stones can fly up and damage your windscreen.

4. Take breaks more often

Unless there are 2 drivers who can take turns, long drives can be especially tiring. If conditions are stressful, you are even less likely to be at your best. Other drivers on the road are dealing with similar conditions (outside and inside the car) and may be prone to make mistakes. Make sure you take regular breaks to stay alert for hazards.

There are many places to stop and get some fresh air. The kids and the dog can escape from being strapped in and it makes the journey more interesting for everyone.

5. Put your phone away

This might seem like an obvious safety tip, but there are so many reasons you want to have your phone handy. On holidays, you might want to take photos, check the GPS, or book a motel in the next town. Don’t pick up your phone while driving. Even glancing at a text message is a mistake: if you look at your phone for 2 seconds while driving at 100 kph, you travel over 55 metres blind.

Keep your phone in the glovebox or well out of sight. It will still be there when you arrive safely.

Safe driving also means following all the rules and driving within the law. At holiday time, double demerits increase the pain of speeding, seat belt and mobile phone offences. So keep to the rules, follow our safe driving tips, and have a wonderful road trip without any accidents.