If you spend a lot of time traveling, you likely know that one of the biggest reasons for tourists getting hurt or killed in other countries is due to car accidents. Especially if you’re traveling to a country that doesn’t have the type of infrastructure you’re used to, your experience behind the wheel might be of little significance for keeping you safe.
Luckily, by being prepared and knowing some basic safety guidelines to follow, you can improve your chances of staying safe on the roads while you’re exploring a new area. To show you how this can be done, here are three tips for safely traveling on dangerous roads.
Avoid The Most Dangerous Times
Around the year, there are going to be specific times when roads are going to be significantly less safe than at other times. By knowing when these times are, you’ll be able to plan your trip to avoid the most dangerous areas during the most dangerous times.
According to Kerry Breen, a contributor to Today.com, holidays are often the most dangerous days to be on the road. There are usually a lot more people on the road during holidays, and the number of drunk drivers can increase as well. With both of these variables, it makes sense why you should steer clear of the more dangerous areas of the streets when you know there will be more traffic to deal with or more drivers who could put themselves and others in danger.
Be Smart About Pulling Over
If you’re driving on a road or in an area that seems dangerous for you to drive in, especially if you’re worried about things like the road being too narrow or visibility being limited, you’re going to want to be very careful about when and where you pull over.
Sometimes, the only thing you want to do when you’re nervous about being behind the wheel is to stop driving and take a little breather. But SafeMotorist.com shares that if it’s night time or there’s a chance that other drivers might have a hard time seeing you, you shouldn’t pull over unless it’s a legitimate emergency. Otherwise, you’ll be much safer staying on the road until you get to an area where it’s safe to stop.
Make Sure The Vehicle Is Safe
When you’re traveling, it’s very likely that you’ll be driving a rental car or you’ll be a passenger in someone else’s vehicle. In either of these situations, it’s vital that you only get into the vehicle if you feel confident that the vehicle is safe.
According to Tanya Mohn, a contributor to the BBC, this means that the vehicle should have seat belts for you to use, shouldn’t be overly crowded, and should be using its headlights. If it’s nighttime and you notice that many cars aren’t using their headlights, you may want to find another option for transportation.
If you’re worried about traveling on dangerous road when you’re taking a trip, consider using the tips mentioned above to help keep yourself and others safe.
Originally posted on July 14, 2019 @ 3:06 am