(New Philadelphia, Ohio) – This summer many families will be packing up and heading out of town for their family vacation, and local officials are asking that they keep these travel safety tips in mind.

According to Safe Communities of Tuscarawas County, with the COVID-19 pandemic continually changing, many travelers have chosen destinations that they can drive to. If you are one of the many travelers who will be hitting the highway this summer, they are asking that you keep these travel safety tips in mind as you prepare.

Safety Tips

• Always wear your seatbelt. Seatbelts save lives. No matter if you are sitting in the back seat or front seat, day or night, please remember to buckle up.

• Never drive impaired. Generally, when people think about impaired driving, they only think about consuming alcohol or using drugs. However, it is important to remember that prescription drugs, as well as over-the-counter drugs, can affect a person’s ability to drive safely. They can cause side effects such as drowsiness, nausea, and blurred vision which can affect judgment and lesson coordination, and reaction time.

• Get plenty of rest before heading out. Driving while drowsy delays reaction speed decreases concentration, and impairs judgment.

• Never drive distracted. When you are driving on unfamiliar roads it is easy to get distracted trying to read a map or navigation system. Designate a “co-pilot” to do this for you so you can concentrate on your driving.

More Information

These are only a few tips. For a more comprehensive guide for safe summer travel
including stocking and preparing your vehicle, please check out the full list of NHTSA’s
Summer Driving Tips.