RICHARD GLADMAN
On this Valentine day, it is essential to not only get to your date safely and stress-free. To ensure this, please find below essential tips to keep yourself and your loved one safe on the road
You may be all dressed up and ready to go, but is your car? Before you leave, make sure you’ve done those weekly vehicle checks which include checking tyre pressures and tyre condition, tread depth and checking fluids such as oil and screen wash
- Whether you’re going somewhere different this Valentine’s Day or visiting your ‘go to’ restaurant, drive every road like it’s the first time. When driving the same route regularly, it’s easy to lack concentration but remember that each journey you make brings you different situations on the road, so it’s important to be observant and anticipate for any hazards ahead
- Don’t leave your loved one waiting. Check the traffic beforehand and plan your journey ahead. Allow extra time if there are roadworks as the last thing you want is to stress about time before you get to your date
- Don’t pick up the phone whilst driving to let your date know you’re running late – however, if you’ve planned ahead this should be preventable. To avoid the temptation of looking at your phone, why not turn it on silent and put it away in your glove compartment for the duration of your journey?
- If you’re the one driving then don’t drink any alcohol. We recommend that you never drink and drive – not even after having one drink. At just below the legal limit, you are four times more likely to be involved in a road crash than if you had not had a drink. So no alcohol at all is the best way to stay safe. If you know you’ll be having one or more alcoholic drinks, then why plan an alternative route from A to B? #NoneForTheRoad
Dress to impress but make sure you drive to arrive. A well-planned out evening will be the perfect way to make an impression. It takes a lot of effort to seem as if you are breezing through life but a well prepared driver can take the stress out of the day. Remember to share the road – it might just make somebody’s day.
Richard Gladman is UK-based IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards
