If there’s one thing you can bank of every spring in the UK, it’s hundreds of thousands of families taking to the roads in search of good times. It’s not as if the UK is blessed with the best weather in the world, so when and where the sun does eventually shine through we can all be forgiven for going a little crazy. This is precisely why the first sniff of warm weather results in a quite colossal contingency of cars, caravans and motorhomes hitting the highways and byways of Great Britain, transforming what are already busy roads into congested and often gridlocked scenes of chaos.
All in the spirit of good fun, of course!
However, according to the experts at www.bktyres.co.uk there is a rather sinister side to all this joyfulness too. Quite simply, the more cars there are on the roads at any one time, the higher the accident rates as a result. What’s more, the public’s enthusiasm to get out and about after the depressing gloom of the winter can sometimes result in common sense being side-lined and hasty decision-making taking over. Needless to say, there’s nothing on Earth that can ruin a good summer…or indeed a life for that matter…quite like a road traffic accident, which is why this is very much the time of year not to lose sight of common sense and to take on board a few simple safety tips.
1 – Allow Extra Time
For example, if everyone on the roads during the summer allowed a good amount of time on top of their expected journey duration, chances are about 90% of accidents would be avoided. Almost every fender-bender and bump on the roads during the spring rush tends to be caused by folk trying to rush to get where they’re going. Sure, the speed limit might be 60mph on any given road, but if traffic is absolutely horrendous, do you really think it’s a good idea to go this fast? Of course it isn’t, so allow extra time, slow down and soak up the sunshine!
2 – Plan for All Weather
Something else that can quickly put a (literal) dampener on things in the springtime is that trademark immediate shift in the weather the UK is famous for. One minute it’s like the tropics and the next it’s more like a tropical hurricane – suffice to say it pays to have yourself and your car very well-prepped. This means checking that your windscreen wipers and blowers work, you’ve plenty of windscreen washer fluid, no big leaks anywhere and that your heaters work in case the temperature drops.
3 – Tyre Checks
The winter can wreak absolute havoc on the integrity of a car’s tyres, which is why it’s extremely important to check, check and check them again before heading out in the spring. Sure, they may be nearly brand new and barely used so far, but this doesn’t mean they might not have picked up debris or foreign objects that could lead to a blowout. And of course, tyre pressures are always changing in accordance with outside temperatures, so keep an eye on these too.
4 – Alternative Routes
It’s all well and good for your trusty GPS to show you the fastest way to a certain seaside retreat, but how many other cars on the road do you think are going the exact same way? There’s much to be said for taking the scenic route when it comes to avoiding the worst of the traffic and the most dangerous road conditions in the UK during the spring. And of course, it doesn’t harm things that the scenery you’ll be lavished with is nothing short of a blessing in its own right!
5 – Avoid Peak Hours
Last but not least, it’s no secret that there are certain hours of the day and times of the week when the roads tend to be more crowded than at any other. Now, in some instances you may not have the luxury of choice and may therefore have to travel when the roads are crammed with traffic – if this is the case, you’ll need to take extra care. However, if you do have at least a little time to play with, it’s more than worth considering planning your trip around quieter driving times – even if this means driving at night. After all, a three-hour trip after 10pm may not be pleasant, but it’s a darn sight better than a seven hour trip starting at 3pm!
