Avoiding Holiday Highway Headaches - Tips to help keep your road trip on track this Labor Day weekend
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Contact: Media Center
BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. (Sept. 2, 2004) – This year millions of travelers will pack up the family car, take to America’s roads over Labor Day weekend and wave good-bye to summer. As part of planning your long-weekend get-a-way – remember that preparing your car and practicing good driving habits are essential to a fun and safe holiday weekend.
“The dramatic increase in holiday travelers creates crowded highways – often full of cars with anxious drivers and cranky youngsters ready to reach their destinations,” said Trisha Hessinger, automotive education specialist and pace car driver. “Firestone Tire & Service Centers are providing drivers with important information and tips on how to stay safe and keep their vehicles running well during the holiday weekend.”
When preparing to travel long distances, make sure all of your vehicle’s regularly scheduled services are up to date. Make sure your car’s filters are clean and that fluids are filled to the recommended levels, specifically the window washer fluid, engine oil, radiator coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid and power steering fluid.
It is critically important to check your tires! Since tires are the only part of your vehicle that actually touch the ground, keeping them in good condition is essential. Make sure tires are properly inflated, rotated, aligned and replaced as necessary. Tires can lose up to one psi (pound per square inch) per month under normal conditions. All four tires and your spare should be filled to the vehicle manufacturer’s specified levels, which can usually be found on the driver’s side doorjamb or in the glove compartment. Use an accurate tire gauge and only check tire pressure when the vehicle has not moved in three hours or more. Proper tire inflation not only helps prevent excessive tire wear, but also helps maximize fuel efficiency – which can save you money.
Once your vehicle is ready to go, make sure the driver is ready as well. The American Automobile Association estimates that 28.7 million Americans will take to the roads this Labor Day weekend – a 2 percent increase from last year. With the surge of holiday travelers, drivers should be extra cautious and engage in safe driving habits.
Safe driving is usually a matter of common sense and sticking to the fundamentals; keep both hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road at all times. Drive defensively. Keep a safe following distance and give yourself a cushion should you encounter erratic driving. To reduce frustration, allow extra time to reach your destination. Map out your route before driving, not while driving. And with all the electronic gadgets we carry today its extremely important to turn down cell phones and other distracting instruments so you can focus on driving and keeping you and your passengers safer on the road.
On a long trip you have to plan for the unexpected. Pack an emergency kit that includes a flashlight, fresh batteries, jumper cables, a first aid kit, a cell phone and charger, a gallon of water, engine oil, an emergency blanket, a small tool kit, gloves, a tire gauge, reflective light sticks, a jack and a lug wrench. Purchasing an auto club membership is also a good idea – especially if you’re planning a road trip that may take you through less populated areas where assistance can be more difficult to find.
With the proper vehicle preparation and good driving habits, getting to your Labor Day destination can be a lot less work.
Firestone Tire & Service Centers are owned and operated by BFS Retail & Commercial Operations, LLC (BFRC). BFRC operates the largest number of company-owned automotive retail generalist stores in the world. MasterCare® technicians perform part repairs and replacements, routine scheduled maintenance services, and a variety of diagnostic services covering major systems within a vehicle. To learn more about driving tips and maintenance or Firestone Tire & Service Center locations, visit www.MasterCareUSA.com. For more information on proper tire care please visit; www.tiresafety.com.
BFS Retail & Commercial Operations, LLC is headquartered in Bloomingdale, Ill., and operates more than 2,200 consumer and commercial tire and vehicle service locations across the United States and Canada as well as the company’s own credit card operations. The store channels include Firestone Tire & Service Centers, TiresPlus, ExpertTire, Commercial & Farm, and Mark Morris. GCR Tire Centers offer truck tire sales, service and retreading outlets for truck and bus, off-the-road and agricultural tires.
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THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN PREPARING FOR HOLIDAY WEEKEND TRAVEL
· Make sure all vehicle services are up to date, and that fluids are filled and filters are fresh.
· Check the tire pressure on all tires, including your spare and make sure that your rotation and alignment are up to date.
· Practice safe driving habits – avoid jerky steering, tailgating or erratic driving.
· Map out your route ahead of time, not while driving.
· Pack an emergency kit including essentials like flashlight and fresh batteries, jumper cables, a first aid kit, a cell phone and charger, a gallon of water, engine oil, an emergency blanket, a small tool kit, gloves, a tire gauge, reflective light sticks, a jack and a lug wrench for fixing a flat.
· Consider purchasing an auto club membership.
