It’s a phrase that gets thrown around every festive season. With over 1,800 km of highway tarmac connecting the peninsular, interstate travels are the norm during the long weekends in conjunction with the holiday season.
Unfortunately, it is also not uncommon to see a spike in road accidents which more often than not involves precious lives lost. Your social media is probably flooded with posts revolving around the theme of “Be Safe on the Road” and the likes, but here’s another guide on how to be safe on the road.
Before starting your journey, make sure your car is in a safe and operable condition which means getting the engine oil, fluids, brakes and tyres checked and replaced if necessary. Not to forget the suspension, lighting systems (headlamps, brake lights) and cooling system (fan motor, air condition) are in working condition.
On the road, it pays to drive defensively, i.e. keep a safe distance with the car in front of you, move out of the lane if there’s a faster car behind, avoid being sandwiched between lorries (I’ve seen way too many cars do so), avoid road debris and maintain a manageable speed for you and your vehicle. All these are common knowledge that, unfortunately, is not common enough.
But nothing is more important than being well rested before your journey whether is it a 30-minute drive or a 16-hour traffic jam – which is not unheard of during festive seasons. All in all, it’s your responsibility to put the Selamat in Selamat Balik Kampung.
We at AutoBuzz.my would like to wish all our Muslim readers a Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
