Safe Driving Tips for Our Neighbors of Nature
We all certainly enjoy the freedom of driving the open roads, whether through deserts, grasslands, mountains, highways or forests. However, often times when driving we pass through the homes of many of nature’s most beautiful animals who, many times, wander out into the roads and sometimes at the most inopportune times of all. With that said, the professionals here at Auto Clinic of Franklin want to share with our valued clients some important safe driving tips when encountering our friendly innocent neighbors.
Helpful Tips
- Start by always paying attention. Although we all typically pay attention when we are driving, there are times when we are looking at something other than the road especially in today’s crazy world of technology. Though you may be driving along on what appears to be a quiet, serene roadway, keep in mind that this false sense of security can be quickly interrupted should an innocent animal wander onto the roadway in just a moment’s time. Animals often appear out of nowhere at all and take us by surprise, so keep your eyes on the road and stay alert at all times.
- Slow down your speed. Especially after dark, it is a good rule of thumb to keep your travel speed below 70 mph. This allows you to be able to react quickly if need be should any obstacle makes its way into your path. During the daylight hours you should always slow down your speed in areas where there are known habitats or wherever animal crossings are posted. Though you may feel as though slowing your speed is wasting your time, the flip side of that scenario, the time and money it would cost if you collided with an unsuspecting animal would be far greater than your mere loss of a few moments time.
- Be certain you have clear night sight. If you are going to be traveling at night it is always best to ensure that your windshield is clear and clean. You should also use your high beams when traveling at night when there are no vehicles oncoming and keep a close watch for the reflection of glowing animal eyes. Be certain to give extra focus and attention at dawn and dusk since visibility is often compromised at these times of the day and various wildlife tend to be more out and about at these times as well.
- If you find yourself unable to avoid hitting an animal, you should remain in your travel lane and hold your brake pedal to the floor. This will help to stop your vehicle quickly and maintain steering control. Blasting your horn can alert the animal and allow them to run out of harm’s way. You should not try to swerve to avoid the animal since this can many times lead to a much more dangerous collision with another vehicle. Though none of us want to cause harm to nature’s beautiful animals, it is your #1 priority to save your own life and the lives of those passengers in your vehicle first.
We are all lucky to be able to share our roads with many of nature’s animals, both big and small. If you engage in a bit of preparedness and stay alert and focused, then surely we can safely get to our every destination while preserving the lives of precious wildlife.
The folks here at Auto Clinic of Franklin take tremendous pride in providing top of the line services to all our valued clients. If you are in need of auto repairs or maintenance services, then we are the team for you. Simply give a call out to our team today and schedule your appointment. We hope you found our safe driving tips useful and look forward to serving you with all your automotive maintenance and repair needs.