Top six tips for safer Easter holiday driving

With the Easter and Independence Day holidays, we learned how you and your family can travel safely during holidays. During the Easter holidays, Zimbabwean roads are anticipated to be busier than normal as people experience the breath-taking gorges and landscapes found within our borders. Here are our top six recommendations for safe holiday travel for you and your family.

Be sensible and realistic

We suggest taking an extra day off before and after Easter to avoid the worst of the traffic, leaving early (but not before sunrise), accepting that your journey time will be longer than usual, remaining calm and relaxed, and checking the weather and road conditions online in advance.

The statement "We're taking off right after work" is not a good one. You are writing a gilt-edged invitation for yourself to get irritated, get stuck in traffic, and drive while fatigued.?Also, you’ll probably be driving on highway roads at dusk or after dark, which is to be avoided due to the increased risk of an animal strike. Not to mention that while you drive, you will probably still be thinking about a few things that should have been dealt with at work.

In order to make the most of your Easter break, it is therefore safer to take an additional day of vacation time, leave on Thursday, and travel with more care. Get home as soon as possible after work and begin packing, but save the driving for when you are physically and psychologically fresh. Recognize that it is Easter and that more people will be driving to famous vacation spots when you are on the road. Just be patient and follow the process, as it will take longer than usual. When drivers attempt to take advantage of a merge or exit and cut in front of other drivers, it causes major traffic delays on highways, which in turn triggers a series of other problems.

Be rested before you leave

A wild night out before a lengthy drive is a recipe for disaster. The morning liquor bus is the first thing to consider, and in no one's opinion, a curbside "technicolor yawn" is a slick appearance. None of this behavior would be considered appropriate family behavior.

Our best recommendation is to stay away from drinking the day before driving, get plenty of rest that night, and take a shower the next morning to ensure that you're "fired-up" when you get behind the wheel. This will assist you in concentrating on the task of reaching your location safely.

Vehicle preparation

How are the tyres on your car, van, watercraft trailer, etc. inflated, including the spare? Have you recently had the engine oil, windshield wiper fluid, and motor coolant checked?

It is ideal to prepare everything and fill the tank with fuel before you leave. Visit any one of our Croco Motors Service Workshops nationwide and have your car ready for the holidays.

No phones and minimized distractions

Although you should think about using the latest in-car entertainment (especially the screens in the back seats for kids), remember that your only responsibility is to travel safely. Avoid fumbling with the entertainment system while driving down the freeway at 100 km/h; instead, pull over and halt until it is resolved.

Similarly with phones, handing off responsibility for electronic communication to other passengers before you leave is a good idea, or pull over safely if you really need to make that call. Hands-free talking may be acceptable in the rush-hour crawl, but it's a different story when you're traveling at high speeds on highways.

Dress to execute at your best.

Be sure to dress appropriately for a long trip (that is, in simple and comfortable clothing). Simply stated, it is impossible to drive while wearing slides, golf shoes, riding boots, or even bare feet. You are best prepared for driving with cotton clothing or flat-soled shoes.

It ain’t over until it’s over

Maintain your concentration and abide by the rules because the return trip is just as dangerous as the one going out. The same principles apply for the return trip, starting with avoiding a big night on your last day away and moving through all of the above because you can't unwind until you get home. Major holidays are not the ideal time to travel, but persistence, care, and consideration are rewarded with quality time with loved ones.

Visit any Croco Motors branch nationwide for a pre-holiday health check to ensure that you enjoy smooth rides in your vehicle this Easter holiday period.