On weekends, many citizens choose to go on self-driving trips. What should you pay attention to when traveling by car in spring? How can you maintain your vehicle after returning from a spring outing? Here are some spring travel safety tips for everyone.
Beware of fatigue driving
First, when choosing to drive for a spring outing, citizens should balance work and rest to avoid fatigue driving. As the transition between spring and summer leads to longer daylight hours and shorter sleep time, the human body has not yet fully adapted to the changes in sleep patterns. Coupled with the warm and comfortable environment inside the vehicle under sunlight, drowsiness often occurs. Therefore, to prevent fatigue driving, it's best to ensure adequate sleep before setting off and avoid staying up all night during the trip. If you feel tired while driving, be sure to stop and rest to ensure safety. If possible, take turns driving with others. Opening the car windows to keep the air circulating can also help improve the driver’s alertness. Additionally, listening to music, chewing gum, or chatting with travel companions can help prevent traffic accidents caused by fatigue and drowsiness.
Beware of thunderstorm weather
Due to cooling temperatures, there may be rainy and overcast weather this weekend. Drivers must stay focused and drive cautiously at reduced speeds. When it rains, roads become slippery and visibility is low, so drivers should control their speed. In waterlogged areas, drive even more slowly, and when encountering pedestrians while driving in the rain, sound the horn in advance and slow down to avoid them.
Moreover, in case of strong winds, drivers should appropriately reduce speed, correctly judge wind direction, hold the steering wheel firmly, and prevent the driving route from being affected by the wind. Pay attention to the vehicle’s lateral stability, minimize overtaking, and extend the duration of the horn when necessary. When driving against the wind, be aware that sudden changes in wind direction or large curves in the road may lead to a sudden reduction in wind resistance, causing the vehicle speed to increase sharply. When turning in windy conditions, turn on the front small lights and frequently use the horn to alert pedestrians and other vehicles, proceed slowly, and always be prepared to brake and stop.
Proper vehicle maintenance
In winter, car owners generally seldom open the windows for ventilation, leading to the accumulation of a lot of bacteria inside the vehicle. With rising temperatures in spring and increased air humidity—a season conducive to the growth of various germs—it is especially important to focus on preventing bacteria inside the car and keeping the interior dry and hygienic. There is also more dust and willow catkins outdoors in spring, making it necessary to clean the car body as well.
Additionally, as temperatures rise in spring, some drivers find that the coolant in the radiator is insufficient. Since anti-freezing is no longer a concern, they casually top it up with plain water. However, plain water can easily produce scale and rust and has a low boiling point, which can easily cause the engine to overheat (“boil over”). Therefore, do not arbitrarily replace coolant with plain water. Also, when changing the coolant, check whether the left and right drainage holes are blocked to prevent poor water drainage after rain, which could cause water to back up into the vehicle.
Most importantly, before going on a spring trip, drivers must thoroughly inspect their vehicle, including checking whether tire pressure is normal and if the braking system shows any abnormalities, to avoid inconveniences during the self-driving journey.