Shell Offers July 4th Safety Tips to Help Drivers Declare Their Independence From Holiday Mishaps
26 June 2000
Prepare for Highway Travel; Know What to Do If Accidents Occur
HOUSTON - As millions of Americans take to the roads this July 4th weekend,
the Shell Oil Company has some advice for drivers looking for another kind of
freedom:
Freedom from highway accidents.
By properly getting ready for that holiday road trip, and then knowing
what to do if a problem occurs, motorists can go a long way toward minimizing
the kinds of mishaps that are all too common on crowded thoroughfares. That's
why Shell has put together a Top 10 list of July 4th safety tips, based on
information from Shell's driving safety booklets.
1. Before you leave home, make sure your vehicle is up for the task.
Check tires for proper inflation. Make sure the windshield,
headlights and tail-lights are clean. Check all fluid levels, belts,
hoses and clamps, and refill or replace as necessary.
2. Make sure your trunk is properly stocked with items that will come in
handy in the event of an accident. These include a fire extinguisher
that's unexpired and securely stored; flares or reflective devices;
jack and lug wrench; properly inflated spare tire; flashlight with
extra batteries; jumper cables; empty, approved gasoline container;
blankets, and umbrella, poncho or raincoats.
3. If your battery goes dead, know how to jumpstart it safely:
-- Position vehicles so jumper cables can reach, but vehicles aren't
touching.
-- Connect one end of the Red cable to the Positive terminal of the
dead battery, and the other to the positive terminal of the good
battery.
-- Connect one end of the Black cable to the Negative terminal of the
good battery and the other to an engine bolt head or other piece
of non-moving metal.
-- Make sure the jumper cables are away from moving engine parts.
-- Start the engine with the good battery and run it at a moderate
speed.
-- Start the engine of the vehicle with the dead battery according to
your owner's manual. Once it starts, reduce the engine speed to
idle.
-- Remove the jumper cables in reverse order, starting with the Black
cable from the engine bolt or metal connection on the car with the
dead battery.
-- The engine needs to run for 20 minutes -- which can include
driving time -- to start recharging the battery.
4. Get out of a skid by taking your foot off the gas, and then turning
the steering wheel in the direction you want the front of the car to
go. This not only helps straighten the car out, but also can help
regain traction.
5. In case of a blow-out, know what to expect. If the front tire blows,
the vehicle will pull hard to the side of the blow-out. Don't hit
the brakes. Hang on to the wheel tightly with your hands in the 9
o'clock and 3 o'clock position, take your foot off the gas and
concentrate on staying in your lane. Then slow down and pull off the
road to a safe location. If the back tire blows, the rear of the car
will weave back and forth. But you should handle it the same way.
6. If you see an accident and want to stop to help, pass well beyond the
wreck before signaling and pulling off the road. This keeps you from
blocking the view of emergency vehicles and gives emergency crews
room to work. Also, turn on your emergency flashers and raise your
hood to call attention to yourself.
7. When traveling with children, keep in mind that the safest place for
them is the back seat. This keeps them far from the impact in a
head-on collision and away from the passenger-side air bag. And
always use seatbelts.
8. Remember the 8-80 rule for kids: Children are usually big enough for
seat belts when they're 8 years old and weigh 80 pounds. Otherwise,
use child-safety seats.
9. Trucks need room to maneuver, so give them some space. Stay 100 to
250 feet behind the trailer. Don't pass on the right or cut in front
of trucks, and stay out of their blind spots. If you can't see the
truck driver's face in the side mirrors, the truck driver can't see
you.
10. If you're changing lanes, don't rely solely on your rear- and side-
view mirrors. There are probably blind spots in your own car, so
it's a good idea to quickly turn and visually check for other
vehicles next to you before pulling over.
The Count On Shell series of safety booklets address six specific driving
issues: hazards on the road; driving with children; how to handle an
accident; keeping safe while driving alone; keeping safe during roadside
emergencies, and how to safely share the road with trucks, trains and
motorcycles.
