FLEETDRIVE
Check the weather and conditions
Watch out for unpredictable weather
and plan accordingly. Northern Australia
can experience cyclones and flooding,
and southern Australia has unfortunately
played victim to some large bush fires. Keep
abreast of the news and listen to local radio on
your journey to keep up-to-date on any changes
to the conditions ahead of you.
Be aware of fatigue
The lead up to Christmas and the holiday
period can be a very busy time of year.
Christmas Day itself can be exhausting,
with all the present opening, abundance
of food and family times! The weather is
usually warm which is great for outdoor activities,
but it can also make you a little weary at the end of
the day. Get a good night’s sleep before you head
off and try not to travel for more than a total of 8
hours, taking breaks frequently along the way.
Prepare for different driving
conditions
At Christmas time, city folk can end
up in the country, and country folk
might end up touring the city. Driving
conditions can feel very different if you’re not
used to it. Consider the added dangers of night
time or congested driving can have on your well
being and take extra care to ensure you and your
passengers are safe.
Watch your alcohol intake
We’ve all heard the statistics and
campaigns around drink driving in
this country. Whilst the legal limit of
alcohol in your system on the road is
0.05, your best bet is to avoid drinking
alcohol all together if you plan on driving the
family around at Christmas time. Alcohol
impairs your judgement, gives you slower
reaction times, causes fatigue and if over the
limit, you may end up with fines and loss of
your license, or worse – causing serious injury
to you, your family and others on the road.
Keep the kids busy
Keep the kids occupied
by bringing along plenty
of activities they can
do in the back seat to
let you concentrate on
driving. You could also play games, an
audio book, or strap a tablet to the back
of the seat to let them watch their favourite
cartoons. Remember to plan for frequent
toilet stops which will also give you a
chance to stretch your legs and get some
fresh air.
ISSUE 20 2019 / WWW.AFMA.ORG.AU
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