Follow our summer driving tips and plan for a safer, more fun summer. The summer months are the time when most Americans decide to plan their biggest road trips. That means that you are going to be spending more time on the road, driving greater distances, for longer periods of time.

Our summer driving tips will make these periods of time safer. In general, such long car trips means that there is more of a chance that your car might break down. That is why you want to follow these tips:

Summer Driving Tips For Before You Hit the Road:

· Tires. Check the tread depth and pressure of your tires, as well as whether or not there is uneven wear. And be sure to pack a real spare. If you are out in the middle of nowhere and your tire blows, you might have to drive quite a distance on your spare. Make sure that you switch your winter tires to all-season or summer tires.

· Service your vehicle. Make sure that you take your car in for that needed oil change before you hit the road. Be sure that you all of your fluids are full (check the oil, windshield washer fluid, coolant/antifreeze, etc.)

· Check your cooling system. Unless you know a lot about cars, we suggest that you have professionals help you check the radiator, belts and hoses, coolant, cooling fans, water pump, and heater core.

· Also check (or have someone else check) the tie rod ends, steering components, ball joints, refrigerant level, compressor clutch, etc. Check your wiper blades and battery, too.

· Pack an emergency kit that includes: jumper cables, flashlight, first aid, flares, water, nonperishable food, extra washer fluid, basic tools, and anything else that you think you might need.

· Packing for your trip and loading your car: be smart about it. You do not need to take your entire wardrobe for a weekend trip! The less you bring, the lighter your car will be, and the less gas you will use. Be sure that when you load your car you keep the driver’s visibility clear (if it is not, perhaps you need to rethink the items that are really necessary to bring on your trip). Keep the items that you may need on top (like snacks, camera, etc.)

Summer Driving Tips For Once You Are on Your Merry Way:

· Stay awake! Long drives mean longer hours at the wheel, and most people cannot handle more than a few hours driving without some kind of break. Take breaks when you need them. Switch drivers often. Pull over for the night if you are really drowsy. Before you drive, make sure that you are well-rested from the night before. Caffeine may help in the short-term, but it can hinder you in the long-run.

· Why not take the scenic route? Do not be in a hurry to get to your destination. A road trip is not a good excuse to set your cruise control at 10mph above the speed limit. Besides, a road trip is not just about the destination, it is about the journey.

· If you are towing a boat or trailer, be sure that you drive slowly and smoothly. You must do everything with more caution, including turning, accelerating, braking, and changing lanes. Be sure that you have good mirrors that will help you cover your blind spots.

· Try to drive during the daylight hours. You will be able to see better and will have more reaction time to obstacles up ahead.

· Watch out for our favorite furry critters!

The most important summer driving tip is to have fun! Well, actually, that is the second most important. The most important summer driving tip is to be safe and cautious.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on safety and driving, please visit Specialty Parts.

Accidents caused due to drunken driving are one of the major-concern issues haunting the US in the past few decades. Drunken driving causes more than 16,000 automobile casualties every year, leading to more than a million deaths. Not to mention the millions of drivers that are arrested for drunken driving each passing year.

Several people who party into the wee hours of the night drive with the drink still inside them. Youth that attend rave parties are susceptible to a more serious problem, as they often mix drugs with their drink. All these activities are deemed not only dangerous but also illegal by law. Drunk driving endangers the lives of the drivers and their passengers as well as other people on the road.

Strict methods are employed by traffic authorities to restrict and impound drunk driving. Measures such as breathalyzers are adopted by traffic police to detect whether a driver is drunk or not. A breathalyzer can ascertain the amount of alcohol in the breath of a driver. Another factor to determine the presence of alcohol in the body of a driver is the blood alcohol concentration (BAC). A BAC level of more than 0.15 is considered unsafe for driving. There are other crude means adopted in certain jurisdictions such as making the suspected driver to walk in straight line or making them read out a passage.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is responsible for creating guidelines for safe driving. They have implemented rules under the National Minimum Drinking Age laws to wean drunken drivers off the road. According to their estimates, these laws have met with great success and have been able to prevent more than 20,000 drunken driving deaths in the past year.

Various organizations are dedicated to cause awareness about the problem of drunken driving. Particularly, MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) has met with a lot of popularity in this field. Media such as the television and newspapers are used extensively to educate people of the dangers of drunk driving. There are clips showing gruesome drunken driving deaths interspersed with movies and TV serials and true life accounts of victims.

The country has met with success in its fight against drunken driving. The number of fatalities is dwindling off with each passing year. There is a 33% decrease in the number of deaths this year from the past year. However, there is still a lot of work to be done and several organizations are working together to drive the bane of drunken driving into extinction.

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