Festive safety tips

With the festive season nearly upon us, many of you are preparing for a well-earned rest and the prospect of a much-anticipated holiday. Setting off on these holidays usually means long hours spent travelling in a car, whether you’re holidaying locally or further afield.  It also means that you expose yourself to danger both on the road and from opportunistic criminals.

To help ensure that you have a safe and trouble-free end-of-year trip, here are a few safety tips:

Make sure your car is safe before travelling

 First and foremost, you need to ensure that your vehicle is safe and ready for a long journey. Before travelling send your car in for a service and make sure that your car’s tyres, oil and water have been checked and are in working order.

 Drive defensively

It’s a given that, on the road, you should expect the unexpected. Even if you’re obeying the law and doing everything right, there is always a chance that another motorist will endanger your life through their reckless actions. It is therefore vital to undertake defensive driving actions:

Keep a safe following distance

• Yield to other vehicles
• Stay focused
• Refrain from road rage

Drive predictably

 It goes without saying that your own driving behaviour on the road should be stable and predictable. As such, take care to not make sudden stops or lane changes or perform any other surprise actions that could compromise your and other drivers’ safety.

Implement the safety basics

Performing simple tasks and checks in and around your car critical to enhancing your overall safety on the road. Make sure that the car is locked and all windows are closed, hold on to your car keys at all times and never leave your vehicle unattended if it is unlocked.

 Make sure you’re sharp on the road

A key aspect of securing your safety on the road is making sure that you are fully equipped to handle a long drive. This means you should do everything you can to aid your concentration and mental alertness, including:

Get a decent sleep before travelling – at least six hours

• Make regular rest stops – at least every three hours
• Bring healthy snacks and stay hydrated

 Hide your valuables away

Make sure that you never leave your valuables in plain sight in the vehicle, as this always proves to be an unavoidable temptation for would-be criminals. Instead, always lock your valuables in your glove box, boot, or hidden under your seat.

 Use an alarm system

Using an alarm system will increase your security on the road, as it will instantly alert the general public should there be an attempt to steal your car. To add further security value, it is recommended that you use a tracking device.

Cartrack has a number of world-class recovery options that will give you peace of mind that your car is always protected from theft or hijacking.

Safe and happy travels!