Safety Tips for Summer Travel

Plan your trip, allowing plenty of time for delays. Make sure that you are well rested and comfortable with your route. Obtain construction zone locations and weather-related road conditions.

Make sure your vehicle is ready to travel. Summer heat can be hard on vehicles. Before leaving home, inspect your vehicle's fluids, tires, belts, wipers, and lights to avoid accidents and breakdowns.

Buckle your seat belt and properly secure children in safety seats or booster seats.

Watch the weather. Prepare for swiftly changing Kansas weather conditions. Adjust your speed and following distance to other vehicles as conditions dictate. Wet roads can be just as slick as those covered in snow or ice.

Use alcoholic beverages sensibly. Do not use alcoholic beverages before or during your trip, and never ride with someone who has been drinking. Kansas' law forbids open containers of alcoholic beverages in vehicles.

Drive defensively and courteously. Assume another driver's mistakes are not personal. Be polite and courteous, even if the other driver is not. Avoid all conflicts if possible. If another driver challenges you, take a deep breath and get out of the way.

If you break down, get your car as far onto the shoulder as possible and activate your 4-way flashers. Stay with your vehicle, lock your doors, and let your windows down a little. If you have a cellular phone, you can dial *47 (*HP) for the nearest Highway Patrol dispatcher or *KTA on the Kansas Turnpike for assistance.