We make better drivers and riders

Six of the best! Our six top summer travelling safety tips

Blog post posted on 10/07/18 |
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Advice

With summer season showing no sign of ending, our head of driving and riding standards Richard Gladman has put together some tips to keep you safe on the road.

  • Do you know where you’re going? Plan your journey so you know when and where to take planned breaks (if applicable) and check for any traffic problems
  • Do weekly car checks which include tyre pressures, tread depth and condition and checking fluids – replenish screen wash but if other fluids are low, check for underlying problems
  • Stay hydrated by keeping a bottle of water in your car. We recommend having plenty of water as it is essential to stay hydrated to maintain concentration and control body temperature
  • When driving, fatigue can slowly kick in – especially in heat. Concentration starts to slip after two hours so take regular 15 minute breaks. Get out of the car and stretch
  • When driving into the direction of the sun, use your sun visor to help block out the glare and if that doesn’t work for you, invest a decent pair of sunglasses. Keep the windscreen clean inside and out
  • Put together an emergency kit; some drinks and snacks, a charger for your mobile phone and a road map for last minute detours are all useful items. Some entertainment for your younger passengers may make the journey less stressful

Richard said: ”Preparation is key to an enjoyable trip. A well maintained car and a fully fit and prepared body can make the difference between a pleasant drive in the country and a nightmare journey to be endured. Whilst the trip may be about the destination, it is much better if the journey is enjoyable too.”  

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1.      Richard Gladman is IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards.

2.      IAM RoadSmart has a mission to make better drivers and riders in order to improve road safety, inspire confidence and make driving and riding enjoyable. It does this through a range of courses for all road users, from online assessments through to the advanced driving and riding tests. IAM RoadSmart is the trading name of all businesses operated by the UK’s largest road safety charity, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and was formed in April 2016 combining the IAM, IAM Drive & Survive, PDS and IAM Driver Retraining Academy. The organisation has 92,000 members and campaigns on road safety on their behalf. At any one time there are over 7,000 drivers and riders actively engaged with IAM RoadSmart’s courses, from members of the public to company drivers, while our Driver Retraining Academy has helped 2,500 drivers to shorten their bans through education and support programmes.

To find out more about IAM RoadSmart products and services visit the new website www.iamroadsmart.com

To find out the name of your own local IAM RoadSmart group please visit: https://www.iamroadsmart.com/local-groups

Media contacts:

Further information from:

IAM RoadSmart press office – 020 8996 9777 

press.office@iam.org.uk / www.iamroadsmart.com

ISDN broadcast lines available

Follow us:

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/IAMRoadSmart

On Twitter: @IAMRoadSmart  

ENDS ALL