The information on this website is general in nature and is for informational purposes only. This has already led to a 9.3 percent increase in roadway deaths during the first nine months of 2015, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Any description of coverage is necessarily simplified. Flash flooding and rain on top of dry conditions can cause visibility issues and hydroplaning. This summer there will likely be fewer activities such as festivals, BBQs or Fourth of July events, where people typically consume drugs or alcohol. Of course, theyre two separate groups but they can often be combined when speaking about their unpredictable nature. More crowded roadways generally mean a greater chance of experiencing a driver practicing dangerous habits or getting into an accident. What are the most common summertime driving risks, and how can you protect against these hazards? Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. Drivers tend to be more distracted, on their phones or chatting with friends. As for yourself, always stay hydrated and try to keep your vehicle cool with AC or open windows. Vehicle accidents kill more American workers than any type of workplace accident1; in 2014, 35 percent of workplace injuries involved a motor vehicle.2Since drivers cause more than 90 percent of vehicle crashes3, make sure they are aware of these summer hazards and know how to share the road safely. Check your tire pressure consistently and frequently. If youre taking a road trip this summer or just hitting the road for daily travel, here are some things to keep in mind. Youve probably seen a couple cars on the side of the road this summer. The increased traffic on our roads is an unmistakable hazard of summer driving, says Daniel Brown, a Travelers Risk Control transportation safety professional.

Merge early before entering the work zone. The 101 days from Memorial Day to Labor Day give teens more opportunities to drive on unknown roadways and in unfamiliar conditions. The summer months see a substantial increase in both alcohol-involved crashes and DUIs, especially around holiday weekends. Before you make any kind of lane change, open your doors, begin parallel parking or come to a sudden stop, check your mirrors and the road around you to make sure its safe. We guide you throughout your search and help you understand your coverage options. Warmer weather typically means more drivers on the road, with LexisNexis reporting a peak in miles driven during May, June, July and August. Replace tires if there is uneven or excessive wear. Anticipate delays and plan for it in your schedule. Give bikers at least 3 feet of clearance when passing. If your engine is overheating, pull over immediately and call help. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information youre reading is accurate. Plus, 73% of work zone crashes damage propertyeither your car or the construction equipment. Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that were putting your interests first. Our content is backed by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed entity (NPN: 19966249). The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers. There are many reasons that a driver may not be paying attention.

Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers. Replace your wiper blades in the spring so they better clear water. Check the built-in wear indicators to determine when you need a change. Just watch out for these common driving hazards.Typical Hazards: Summer often feels like the season of construction.

For this reason, a nice summer safe driving tip for motorists who require assistance could make everyones summer a little happier and safer. All rights reserved. Taking an extra thirty seconds to get where youre going can help save a life. An at-fault accident can increase your full coverage premium by an average increase of 42 percent per year. by TSS Safety | Jun 3, 2020 | Community Safety, Featured, Uncategorized | 0 comments. The data was from a lengthy period, between 1975 and 2002. You are here: Home Resources Archived Safe Highway Matters Spring 2010 Top 5 Summer Driving Hazards.

Your eligibility for particular products and services is subject to individual eligibility and the final determination of underwriting qualifications and acceptance by the insurance underwriting company providing such products or services. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. The penalties for driving without car insurance, 3 Kinds of Insurance You Dont Know Youll Need, Life Insurance Coverage For You And Your Family, 6 Things You May Not Know Are Increasing Your Insurance Costs. It might be alcohol, marijuana or other substances. The beautiful summer months are enjoyable, but its best to remember that with warm weather and sunny days, motorists can forget to be cautious and be alert while driving. This year, with COVID-19, indications already show that it may be a particularly hazardous summer for drivers. Also watch out for animals, as a driver swerving can easily result in a hazardous pile-up. The majority of cyclists who are injured or killed are adults, with 70 percent of those fatalities occurring in urban environments.5Bicycle rider intentions can be hard to predict if they do not follow traffic rules or use hand signals. Help drivers prepare for these and other summertime hazards. Give cyclists 3 feet of clearance when passing. Help prevent distracted driving accidents in your business by creating and enforcing a mobile phone use and distracted driving policy. Phone number of insurance company and AAA. Required fields are marked *. During the summer months, teenage drivers are out of school and on the roads. According to the National Safety Council, the number of car accidents is already 14 percent higher than this time last year. Home equity line of credit (HELOC) calculator. The construction mentioned above can also have an impact on road conditions, as can speed bumps, curbs, and potholes. Despite all the wonderful upsides of summer, there are some driving dangers out there that come along with the season. In addition, summer vacationers may be driving overloaded vehicles with obstructed windows, and drivers may be sleep-deprived from longer days and activities that stretch into the night. Moreover, winter months tend to create an increased number of potholes. Extra daylight and warmer temperatures bring people outside and onto roadways. Check engine coolant, hoses, and belts frequently. Motorcycles can stop faster than cars. Many states patrol drivers, in fact, see an increase in traffic and motorist assists throughout the summer and for this reason, a number of states intensify their patrol beats, patrol hours and patrol routes in the summer. Which certificate of deposit account is best? Check twice when switching lanes and be aware of your cars blind spots to avoid any dangerous run-ins. What to do when you lose your 401(k) match, highest average price per gallon at $6.32, Car insurance for high risk drivers in Illinois. With warmer weather, the bikers are out. Yet with all those activities, there are also more car insurance claims and vehicle damages. Understand the local rules. Whether a particular loss is covered depends on the specific facts and the provisions, exclusions and limits of the actual policy. They are often the cause of a blown tire on the highway. Bankrate found that a single speeding ticket conviction increased average full coverage premiums by 21 percent per year. Be patient and give them room to learn. Follow motorcycles at greater distances, as motorcycles can stop more quickly than automobiles. Everyones out on the road and as a result, theres more stop-and-go traffic as well as an increase in distracted drivers. And dont underestimate that glaring morning or midday sun. Perhaps they are in a vacation state of mind, on their phones, eating, smoking, etc. It can also be challenging to estimate a motorcycles speed, and they can easily disappear into your blind spot.

Its also not uncommon for animals to nest inside stored vehicles, causing damage to wiring or even the engine itself. For more information, please see our Insurance Disclosure. Be aware when opening car doors, making turns, and changing lanes. Save your car, gas, and expenses by checking tire pressure frequently! 3) Increased Road Construction: While motorists take advantage of the warm weather by taking trips to the beach, DOTs and tollway authorities associate good weather conditions with an opportunity to fix the roadways. 5) Inexperienced Drivers: Research shows that teen driver crashes and fatalities are highest during summer months. Be careful when making turns, especially left turns. Summer is often synonymous with long drives with the windows down and the radio up, but it isnt all picturesque. Bankrates editorial team writes on behalf of YOU the reader. Drivers should consider the following when sharing the road with motorcycles: Because of the extra dangers motorcycle riding can present, consider a policy that prohibits employees from using motorcycles for business travel. Bankrate has answers. The summer has actually been dubbed the 100 Deadly Days because teen driving is so dangerous during this time. Treat bikes like slow-moving vehicles. During the warmer months, kids and families are outside during the day, walking, playing games, chasing balls and often not paying attention to the street. Take extra precautions if youre in a hail-belt state like Wyoming, Colorado, Missouri, or Kansas. In case motorists are not, it could be useful for patrol operators to be aware of the top five road hazards during the summer months: 1) Increased Rainfall: The snow may have melted and the sun may shine more often than not, but with the summer comes more rainfall. A formal fleet safety program can help maximize fleet efficiency, enhance safety, and more. Plus, drivers tend to have more erratic and nervous behavior in the rain, which is a major contributor to accidents. Underinflated tires result in too much friction, causing the tire composites to overheat more easily. As the weather changes, so should your driving and road-safety practices. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); How did you learn about us? The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way. Youre still missing one key step, though: checking your car insurance coverage. Other. Drivers have to share the road with more cyclists and bikers who are finally able to take their vehicles out after the long winter. Treat bicycles the same as slow-moving vehicles. Summer is also hail season. Hitting or swerving around animals causes thousands of accidents every year. As the number of motorcycles on the road increases, so does the opportunity for motorcycle crashes. Were transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money. This year is also primed for an increase in accident severity, with inflation increasing repair costs and driving behaviors likely back to their pre-pandemic levels. According to the auto club AAA, the national average for gas prices hit an all-time high (since data collection started in 2000) at over $5.00 per gallon on June 13. Co-worker / colleague Look twice to make sure a motorcycle is a safe distance from your vehicle. Get insider access to our best financial tools and content. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. You want to be especially aware during holidays like Memorial Day weekend, Fourth of July, and Labor Day weekend. Or call (844) 232-2700 to speak with a licensed insurance advisor.

With an overall inflation rate of 8.6 percent year over year, drivers can expect accidents to cost more should they need to file a claim. Take cover in the backseat, away from windows. Watch for distracted walkers who are on their phone while crossing the street. Long summer days and late nights can lead to drowsiness. Motorists should be weary of hydroplaning and should check road conditions prior to embarking on their travels to be aware of flooding and road closures. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. In fact, motorcyclist deaths occur 27 times more frequently than fatalities in other accidents. Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. If you have comprehensive coverage on your vehicle, things like hail damage and flood damage to your vehicle would be covered, but avoiding the storm in the first place is still your best option. Not only are there plenty of potholes to be filled from the winter months, but there are also a lot of road repairs, buildings, and homes being constructed. So, once the summer months hit, roadway construction projects pop up on highways across the country. But we all know the inexperience of being a young driver. Stay alert and focused even on those seasonal nights. While the winter season is often associated with risky driving conditions, summer has its own risks. If your vehicle is properly maintained and youve researched the driving conditions along your route, you might think youre ready to hit the road. Several things can happen to your vehicle while its stored.

Its important to remind motorists to obey the rules of the road and to move over sooner rather than later when they see Road Work Ahead signs on the highway. Limit the number of teens driving in the car at once. Turn on your windshield wipers at the first sign of rain. Teens are inexperienced and more reckless, and they have a tendency to be glued to their phone, which creates a more hazardous road for all. According to the NHTSA, six of the 10 deadliest driving days occur in the summer months. Whether youre planning a road trip or driving to and from work, know your route and the unique risks it poses.