Summer Safety  
 
School is out and summer is here. It’s time to start planning vacations and weekend trips to places both near and far. Summer represents one of the highest travel periods in the United States. It also can represent one of the most dangerous times on our highways.  
 
1. Before You Go 
 
Regular maintenance such as tune-ups, oil changes, battery checks, tire rotations, and so forth go a long way toward preventing breakdowns before they happen. If your vehicle has been serviced according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, it should be in good shape and nearly ready to travel. If not - or you don’t know the service history of the vehicle you plan to drive - schedule a preventive maintenance check-up with your mechanic now. 
 
Providing your vehicle is well maintained, getting it ready for a road trip is relatively quick and easy.  
 
2. What to Take  
 
Some take-along items make your trip more pleasant, such as favorite CDs to listen to or snacks to tide you over until the next rest stop. Others help keep you and your passengers safer. While you don’t want to ever overload your vehicle, you will want to make room for basic safety equipment.  
 
Even a well-maintained vehicle can break down, so it’s advisable to put together an Emergency Roadside Kit to carry with you. A cell phone tops the list of suggested emergency kit contents since it allows you to call for help when and where you need it. Suggested Emergency Roadside Kit contents include:  

• Cell phone
• First aid kit
• Flashlight
• Flares and a white flag
• Jumper cables
• Jack (and ground mat) for changing a tire
• Work gloves and a change of clothes
• Basic repair tools and some duct tape (for temporarily repairing a hose leak!)
• A jug of water and paper towels for cleaning up
• Nonperishable food, drinking water, and medicines
• Extra windshield washer fluid
• Maps

3. On the Road   

Getting there is half the fun of a road trip vacation. It’s also half the hassle. Plenty of distractions both inside and outside your vehicle can take your attention from the road. Cranky fellow travelers, traffic congestion, road construction and detours, ringing cell phones, unfamiliar roads, and loud music are just a few you might encounter. While you can expect some distractions, you can also counter them with safe driving techniques to help you keep your focus.  

Along with staying focused, make sure everyone in your vehicle is buckled up properly at all times. In fact, buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to keep yourself and your passengers safe while on the road.