A significant number of road traffic collisions and minor incidents occur during the holiday season, when drivers travel over greater distances than they are used to or, for example, they tow a caravan on its only outing of the year. And even with spiralling fuel prices, the credit crunch is expected to cause many more people to take there holidays here in the U.K. this year.

Greater Manchester’s Drivesafe team have issued a new ‘Guide to safer holiday travels’ for everyone that is taking there holidays at home this summer. The travelling tips provide simple and sensible pointers, as Drivesafe’s Communications Manager, Karen Delaney explains;-

“ Commuting to work or visiting friends and family are regular journeys that people are familiar with, whereas a road trip on holiday needs planning ahead. Simple things such as checking tyre pressures, having drinks and snacks handy and keeping the children occupied can all make the difference between a stressful, eventful journey and a good start to your holidays. We thought a guide to safer holiday travels would help everyone from the moment they leave home “.

Here are the top ten tips from the Drivesafe team;-

1. Fill up with fuel and check your oil and coolant levels the day before you go on holiday – a fully laden vehicle makes the engine work harder.
2. Check your tyre pressures – you may need to adjust them if you are towing a trailer or caravan, or carrying more passengers and luggage than usual.
3. Make sure that child seats are secure and if you are taking pets with you, ensure they are safe and comfortable in a secured cage for transportation.
4. Fill the vehicle with luggage first and then use a roof rack if you have to.
5. Take time to pack the vehicle carefully and ensure that nothing can move around if you have to brake hard or change direction quickly.
6. If you still need to load a roof rack, ensure that everything is well packed, covered and secure.
7. Plan your route – use your sat. nav. if you have it but have a good idea of the route in your mind as well.
8. Just before you leave home, ensure that you have maximum vision through windows and all mirrors.
9. Tiredness can kill - Have a cool bag handy with drinks and snacks to keep everyone going, but have a good idea of where the toilet stops are along the way! Take a break, stopping off en route makes for a more pleasant journey anyway.
10. If you are taking a caravan or trailer, familiarise yourself with the proper procedures for packing and towing them safely.

One final tip from Karen is “if you get caught up in stationary traffic and it is safe to do so, switch off your engine to save fuel, money and the environment”.