Safety offers vacation tips

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Joseph Hayes
  • 919th SOW Safety
DUKE FIELD, Fla. --  Did you know the deadliest month to drive is August? The deadliest day is Saturday and the deadliest time of day is 3 to 6 p.m. As you head out for your summer vacation or even while driving here at home, I hope you will remember to use extreme caution on the highway.

Remember that bicycles are considered vehicles, and must obey all applicable traffic laws when driven upon a highway. This means stopping at stop signs, red lights, and yielding to pedestrians crossing the highway.

To those of you hauling trailers, be sure to check your lights and check that your safety chains are crossed when towing. This ensures that the tongue will be supported if the hitch point fails. If the chains are not crossed, the tongue can drop straight to the pavement. 

Make sure your vehicle is properly serviced and in suitable condition for the journey. Try to have specific routes to your destination. At stop lights and other traffic delays, leave enough space in front of your vehicle so you have an escape option in case of an emergency. Let someone know the route you intend to travel and your itinerary. This will help authorities locate you if there is a need to do so. Plan your trip carefully and allow for factors such as weather and fatigue.

When leaving your home, be sure to disconnect or turn off any appliances. Upon return, check your smoke detectors to make sure they are functioning. Batteries could run down or other components could fail while you’re away.

If camping, locate your tents away from camp fires. Most tents are made from cotton, a flammable substance. Some tents are flame retardant, but that does not mean flame proof. A flying ember from a fire can land on the tent and ignite it in seconds. The same goes for things such as sleeping bags, clothing and people. It’s a good idea to place flammable items upwind from open flames or heat-producing items. Always extinguish fires before leaving a camp site.

For boaters, don't smoke at fuel docks. Have a coast guard approved fire extinguisher on board your vessel. Make sure that bilge fans are functioning to remove fuel fumes prior to starting the boat’s engine. Those fumes could cause an explosion.

The last tip, but by no means the least important, is do not operate any vehicle while consuming alcohol or while under its influence.