Road Trip Tips
Road safety
Most states have passed mandatory seatbelt laws for the driver of the car.
In many states, such as Florida, both passengers in the front seats are required
to wear seatbelts, regardless of age.
Most states have special seatbelt laws
for minors and require child seats for young children.
Not wearing a seatbelt
could be a violation of your personal automobile insurance policy.
Summer rainstorms cause so many accidents
These storms often occur during the heat of the day, when the heat has pooled
oil on the surface of the road, before the rain has had the time to wash the
oil off the surface. This will first make for an extremely slick and dangerous
combination. You should slow down, allow for extra braking room and use your
low beam headlights during rainstorms. Using your low beam headlights in a
rainstorm is law in Florida and many other states.
Avoid confrontations on the road
Avoid the temptation of road rage. Honking and yelling at the drivers around
you is probably more likely to make someone get out their tire iron than to
help get traffic moving. Be patient.
Who are some of the road scams that you need to know about
Avoid flashing your lights at other cars that are driving without their lights
on at night. This used to be a common courtesy, but unfortunately some gangs
will drive around with their lights off and pick the first car to flash them
as a victim to harass. You may think it’s just an urban myth, but our local
police put out a memo about this to all the Rental Companies this year.
Beware
the pull over. If you’re in a new car coming from the airport that’s so full
it barely clears the ground or you have those out of state plates, you’re
targeted as an easy mark with a big payoff. Sometimes, criminals will try
to get you to pull over by pointing and saying something is wrong with your
car. They might even fake a small accident, a little tap on your bumper to
get you to pull over. Since this has been used as a scam, you’ll want to be
careful about where you pull over if you need to, be sure to pick a well-lit
public place.
Stick to the major roads, since you don’t know the side streets
you might just pick the one all the locals avoid. You’ll also find more people
and better lighting on the major roads; these factors make the "pull over"
riskier for the criminals.
How can you avoid being the victim of a crime
Always keep your car doors locked.
Park only in well-lit parking lots. Keep
an eye out for loiterers when you enter a parking lot. Check the lot for safety
before opening your doors.
Walk with confidence, strong body language will
let criminals know you're not a victim.
Consider using valet parking or park
as close to the main entrance as possible. Remember to secure your valuables
before you turn the keys over to the valet.
If you have to leave your valuables
in the car, they go in the trunk.
Lock the doors since most cars have a trunk
release inside that doesn’t need the key to pop the trunk. Many new cars also
have a back seat pass through that makes for easy entrance into the trunk.
Don’t make yourself a target, flashing expensive jewelry, lots of cash or
even tourist brochures and maps left in the seats can label you as a potential
victim.
Use a local newspapger or magazine to wrap around the outside of your
map or guidebook so you wont' stand out as a tourist.
Choose your travel destination
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