Summer Road Trips: A Time for Fun But Stay Aware of Possible Risks
The lure of a summer road trip seems, as the old car commercial used to say, as American as baseball and apple pie. The kids are out of school, there is time to load up the car for a trip to the cabin in the mountains, head to a houseboat on Lake Powell, or take a long-distance, cross-country adventure. You may have guessed that you are not the only person with this idea. Check out the traffic congestion on the freeways surrounding Provo and Salt Lake City any Friday afternoon during the summer. While getting out of town for the weekend or driving far away for a summer vacation is a great way to spend time with your family, it is not without its risk. Hot, Hot Summer The American Automobile Association (AAA) advises that simple maintenance checks can improve your chances of a trouble-free vacation. In Utah, summer can be blisteringly hot, and when the air temperature is 100 degrees, the road surface can be much hotter, especially black asphalt. You do not want to have a blowout and be forced to attempt to change a tire under those conditions. Utah has some of the most spectacular scenery in the United States, but getting there may mean driving on many miles of lonely highway. Visiting Natural Bridges National Monument or Lake Powell may mean driving down State Road 95 and, after you pass Hanksville, it is 98 miles before you reach the next human settlement. Before heading out on a trip, check the tires and their condition, making certain that they have adequate tread and air pressure to carry you and your family safely. AAA also recommends checking the condition of other items on your car such as the battery and wiper blades. Congestion Another significant problem during the summer is congestion. Car accidents caused by traffic slow downs, and out-of-state drivers who make sudden, unexpected stops or lane changes, create an element of unpredictability on the road. Even if you know where you are going, you may have difficulty due to road construction. During the summer, orange barrels and cones blossom like flowers on the highways. Traffic patterns are changed, road surfaces may become uneven or worse and lane closures can result in long delays. Seek Help Despite taking every possible precaution, accidents still occur. If you are the victim of an automobile accident, contact a personal injury lawyer as you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and other losses.