The Key to a Safe Christmas Holiday Driving is Being Prepared

Thursday December 22, 2016

The Christmas/New Year holiday season is tantalisingly close. Holiday breaks, which have been planned for months, Christmas shopping, parties, celebrating and taking off on the traditional New Zealand road trip.

And to ensure a safe arrival and return, planning not just the holiday but the actual car trip is one of the key elements to lowering the road toll.

“Getting behind the wheel of a car as a young driver or passenger is said to be among the most dangerous things a person will do in their entire life” according to Maria Lovelock, Programme manager of national not for profit organisation Road Safety Education Limited (RSE).

The organisation is intent on reducing road trauma among young drivers, by educating high school students through its highly acclaimed RYDA program, which provides powerful workshops to change the way young people think about road safety.

RSE has strong support from corporate partners BOC, NZ Steel, Bosch, Bridgestone and The Alexander Group, along with Rotary Clubs, whose volunteers co-ordinate the program in their local area.

“Education is a crucial piece of the road safety jigsaw puzzle”, Lovelock added.

Traffic volumes increase during the holiday period and you’ll be sharing the road not only with other cars, but also pedestrians, cyclists, heavy trucks, buses, campervans and vehicles towing boats or caravans.

Being prepared for a road trip is the first step toward a safe driving holiday.

Drivers need to plan ahead and parents need to have that conversation with their young drivers.

Avoid being a driver in a rush who makes poor decisions on the road.

Check weather and road conditions before setting off

Carry an emergency kit, which should include items that would come in handy if you are stranded on the side of the road or involved in a car crash a blanket, torch and first aid kit.

Prepare your car by having it serviced, checking the tyres have plenty of tread and prepare yourself – rest up before a long drive, plan the trip so you share the driving and take regular breaks to avoid fatigue.

If you're travelling with pets make sure they are restrained - for everybody's safety and never leave them in a hot car.

It’s also a good opportunity to brush up on good driving techniques.

“Stop and think about what your family would do with you this Christmas and every Christmas to come, before you take risks on the road.

Young drivers also need to think about the vehicle they choose to drive if they want to stay safe on the road.

According to Lovelock, vehicles now have a wide range of safety features for occupant and pedestrian protection, as well as collision avoidance capabilities.

“RSE recommends that when choosing a car you should be guided by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) safety ratings system of 1 to 5 stars.

“These star ratings indicate the level of safety a vehicle provides for occupants and pedestrians in the event of a crash.

“You have twice the chance of being killed or seriously injured in a 3 star ANCAP safety rated car compared to a 5 star ANCAP safety rated car.

“Where young people own less safe cars, parents could consider making the safer family car available for those higher risk trips such as peak holiday travel times.

“A little bit of pre planning can make a huge impact on safety – so hopefully we won’t see an increase in road crashes this holiday season”, said Lovelock

ends

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