As we continue to emerge from COVID-19 restrictions, Somerset County Council’s Road Safety Team wants to help you ensure your vehicle gets you safely to your destination.
The Road Safety Team subscribe to FLOWERS; a simple check that spots minor vehicle problems before they become major.
• Fuel – Check you have enough for your journey
• Lights – Check the lights are clean and the bulbs are all working
• Oil – Check the oil to make sure it’s at the correct level
• Water - Check the coolant and windscreen washer levels
• Electrics – Check the battery is in good condition
• Rubber – Check the tyres for signs of wear, check that tyre pressures are correct and that tread depths are above the legal minimum of 1.6mm (it is advisable to replace a tyre if the tread depth is less than 3mm)
• Self – Are YOU fit to drive?
Whilst vehicles need maintenance, it is just as important to make sure the driver is looked after on a long journey. Staying hydrated and planning breaks of a minimum of 20 minutes for every two hours of driving into your route are some of the best ways to do this.
It’s also important to make sure your vehicle isn’t overloaded; cars have far longer stopping distances when loaded and handling an overloaded vehicle is much more difficult.
Councillor John Woodman, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways said: “As the road safety team suggests, please carry out a FLOWERS check before you head off on a long journey. A vehicle that is running smoothly will ensure that your holiday goes ahead as planned.”
Make sure to follow @TravelSomerset on Twitter and like the Travel Somerset Facebook page for all the latest traffic information. Somerset Road Safety provides advice to thousands every year through educational events; they run Bikeability courses for school children and train School Crossing Patrols.
Please visit www.somersetroadsafety.org for more information and follow them on social media – Somerset Road Safety on Facebook, @SCC_RoadSafety on Twitter and @somersetroadsafety on Instagram.
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