Virginia Trucking Association offers driving tips
AAA estimates that 1.5 million Virginians will travel 50 miles or more during the Thanksgiving holiday, according to a news release from the Virginia Trucking Association.
Winter travel conditions and the volume of travelers on the road during the holiday could lead to dangerous situations. The trucking association offers these tips:
• Prepare your car for long-distance travel: Check wipers and fluids; service your radiator and cooling systems.
• Plan ahead: Know your exits by name and number and watch for signs as you near the off-ramp. Drivers changing lanes unexpectedly to exit can cause accidents.
• Check your emergency kit: You should have a battery-powered radio, a flashlight, a blanket, jumper ca-bles, a fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit, bottled water, nonperishable foods, maps, a tire-repair kit and flares.
• Be aware of changes in weather.
• Do not cut in front of large trucks, which take longer to stop.
• Keep your eyes on the road and minimize distractions.
• Leave early enough so you won’t be anxious about arriving on time.
• Be aware of trucks’ blind spots.
• Don’t speed and buckle up.
“Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year,” said America’s Road Team Captain Barry Holland of UPS Freight. “With so many motorists on the road, it’s important to use caution and patience while driving. Following these rules for the road will ensure that we all arrive safely to our loved ones.”
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And the motoring public has some driving tips for truckers as well:
1) Don’t drive like you own the road. In case you are unclear about this, you don’t.
2) When you merge, don’t assume that a vehicle in the right lane will magically disappear for you. We will move over if we can, but sometimes we can’t. Just because you are bigger doesn’t mean you can threaten everyone to jump out of your way.
3) Don’t pass each other on a hill. You know will run out of steam and clog the passing lane when you do this. You get angry when we are in YOUR way. It’s no different when you try this stunt.
4) So you DO realize that your truck takes longer to stop. Good. Now stop tailgating us.
5) Don’t speed. The rule applies to you too. See #4 above.
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