Murphy Ford Blog: Road Safety Tips

Winter is approaching and we want you to be prepared on the road. Here are tips to keep you safe while driving and when your vehicle breaks down.

Tips to keep you safer on the road:

Keep your doors locked, seat belts fastened, and children safe and secure in properly installed safety seats
Don’t let your gas tank fall below 1/3 tank
Stay on main roads and highways
Never let children go to the restroom alone
Always lock vehicle doors, even if you’ll only be gone for a few minutes
Carry a mobile phone in case of emergencies, do not text while driving
Do not stop to help a disabled vehicle, call for help from your mobile phone or a pay phone
If stopping during nighttime travel, choose a well-lighted, populated facility. Park where your vehicle can be seen
If approached by someone while your vehicle is stopped, keep your doors locked and only roll your window down enough to hear what the person is saying

Move your vehicle off the road safely away from traffic
Stay inside your vehicle and make sure all passengers stay inside, too
Keep doors locked and only roll down the window enough to ask any passersby to call police
If you can’t move your vehicle off the road, ask all passengers to exit the vehicle when it is safe to do so, and stand away from traffic
If you must walk to a phone, keep your group together
Warn other drivers by raising the vehicle’s hood, tying a white cloth to a door handle or using reflective triangles or flares. Warning devices should be placed far enough away from the vehicle to give oncoming traffic time to react. A good rule of thumb: three devices at 100, 50 and 25 yards from the vehicle – or 300, 200 or 100 feet.

Flashlight
Blanket
First-aid kit
Extra warm clothing
For extra long trips pack: water and nonperishable food (fruit snacks, granola bars, etc.)
Jumper cables
Small knife
Flares
Watergloves
Small shovel
Waterproof matches
Ice Scraper