On The Road Again

IT’S SUMMERTIME!!  It’s time to pack up the car and head out for vacation and not look back for a few days. The whole family has been looking forward to this all school year long.

Farmers® is very good at putting out articles on not just insurance but on everyday life. One article came across my virtual desk (email) that I wanted to share, especially since we were on the subject of summertime and travel. This particular article came from their “Seasonal SMARTS Digest –On the Road Edition: Summer 2016”  and it had great info to share.

What to check before you get on the road:

This first tip I found a bit odd but obviously it’s important or it wouldn’t have been included in the article. It says that it’s common for a thief to go after the third row seat from an SUV. If you have an SUV and you have the ability to take it out, do so and leave it behind in the garage. Really? The third row? I wonder what they do with it. If anyone knows, please feel free to share.

The second tip concerns checking your tires, making sure that you have enough air in your tires and that the tread is good. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration  advises to look on your vehicles owner’s manual to find the recommended tire pressure, not the type of tire. Underinflated tires are 3 times more likely to burst and cause an accident so make sure the pressure is where it needs to be. As far as the tread on your tires, you can check the tread with a penny. The illustration below from Bridgestone Tire shows how to use a penny to see when new tires are suggested and when they are recommended.

The third tip recommends changing out your windshield wipers, especially if you haven’t used them in a while. Living in Texas, we know that the sun can be shining without a cloud in the sky one moment and flood warnings being issued the next. We never know what the weather will be like so be proactive and change out those windshield wipers.

One last tip before you head out. Click on -  The U.S Department of Transportation and it will take you directly to a list of all nation wide road closures and areas to avoid while traveling. There's even a place to check the weather in the area you will be traveling to and all the places in between. 

While you’re driving:

This first one goes out to the “over packers”. Overloading your vehicle can put more pressure on your tires. More pressure on your tires, especially in the heat, can cause a blowout. Your vehicle owner’s manual should have the load limits for your tires.

This one goes out to the “planner” of the family. Map out your trip with breaks throughout the day. Getting out of the car and walking around a bit helps with fatigue and drowsy driving. Booking a hotel in advance is always a great idea, especially during high traffic times of the year.

Not just on vacation but always follow the 3/6/9 rule. What is the 3/6/9 rule? I’ll tell you.

-        Count 3 seconds (in normal conditions) between the time the car in front of you passes a fixed object and the time you pass it.

-        Count 6 seconds (in heavy traffic or inclement weather) between the time the car in front of you passes a fixed object and the time you pass it.

-        Count 9 seconds (in severe weather) between the time the car in front of you passes a fixed object and the time you pass it.

So now you’re at you destination. Happy day! Of course there are tips for that was well.

Once you’ve reached your destination:

Protect your stuff. If you are leaving anything in the car, hide it. Use the trunk, hide items, cover items and make sure they are out of sight to prevent theft. Some even use a sunshade in the front of the vehicle and the back windows. Using them may also help keep the car a little bit cooler…

Do you have a navigation device that’s mounted on the windshield? Take it down and hide that as well. And wipe off the ring that the suction cup leaves. That’s another “Welcome” sign for thieves to break in and look for it.

While on the road there will be plenty of opportunities for your windshield to be hit by a pebble or the likes of that. I know because last summer my windshield was hit twice leaving 2 long cracks by the time we made it back to Texas from New Mexico. What I didn’t know was that not only will the heat cause the crack to spread but using your windshield wipers will as well, forcing the water into the damaged areas. Hitting potholes, slamming your doors, parking in sunny areas AND… USING YOUR AIR CONDITIONER can also cause the cracks to get worse. I don’t know about you, but there is no chance in my vehicle that we will not use the AC in this heat so I guess the crack will spread. Let’s just hope I don’t get hit with another rock this summer.

Have a great and safe summer! 

Also check out our blog, "Surviving a Road Trip With Kids".