NHTSA Offers Tips for Safe Summer Travel

Thousands of Americans have travel plans this summer.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants everyone who plans to travel by car to put safety first when hitting the road. 

The NHTSA offers the following suggestions for safe summer travel:

• Perform a basic safety check. Routine car care like tune-ups, battery checks, and tire rotations are important and help with preventing breakdowns. Check your tire pressure, wiper blades, fluid levels, lights, and air conditioning before you go.
   
• Check for recalls. Even the most informed car owner may be unaware that their recalled vehicle is in need of repair. NHTSA’s free VIN Look-Up Tool lets you see if your vehicle has been repaired as part of a safety recall in the last 15 years. Visit www.nhtsa.gov/recalls to find out about possible safety defects in your vehicle, and help protect your loved ones and other motorists.
   
• Protect your passengers. All drivers and passengers should wear seat belts. When you’re traveling with a child, it’s safest for them to ride in a car seat suited for their age and size, and all children 13 and younger should ride in the back seat. If you’re having trouble finding the right car seat for your child’s age and size, you can visit www.safercar.gov/parents for additional tips.
   
• Share the road and stay alert. Keep a safe distance – three or four seconds – between you and motorcyclists, and always be mindful of pedestrians or bicyclists. During long trips, take a break when driving long distances. Plan ahead for times to stop and stretch, eat healthy meals and relax, and consider stopping and staying in a hotel to recharge during longer drives.
   
• Store an emergency roadside kit. Keep a few emergency items readily accessible for your family’s road trip. A cell phone and charger, first-aid kid, flashlight, flares, jumper cables, water, and blankets are all useful items to have in your emergency kit. 
   
• Don’t drink and drive. An average of one alcohol-impaired driving fatality occurred every 51 minutes in 2015. Don’t drink and drive. If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver before going out. 
   
• Avoid distraction. Distraction accounts for approximately 10 percent of fatal crashes and 15 percent of injury crashes. 
   
• Observe “Move Over” Laws. Move over and change lanes to give safe clearance to law enforcement officers assisting motorists on the side of the road. It’s the law in all 50 states.