At Premier Chiropractic Center, serving Bessemer, AL, and the nearby region, we want you to know that we enjoy having every patient. We really do. However, we’d much rather see you for routine and preventative chiropractic care instead of an auto accident. So, we’re taking the opportunity this week to provide you with a few tips to help you prevent an accident this summer, especially with so many people on the road.
Don’t Speed
While it’s important to keep up with traffic on the highway, avoid going over the speed limit as much as possible. Higher speeds make it more difficult for you to slow down, swerve, or stop to avoid an accident.
Always give yourself enough time to get where you’re going to avoid traveling over the speed limit out of necessity.
Check Your Tires Before a Road Trip
Before you head out, whether alone or with friends or family, check your tires’ air pressure. Get air in them based on what your user manual recommends.
Summer is known as “blowout season” since this is prime time for complete tire failure. Your vehicle’s tires are much more likely to fail when the temperatures are hotter. They tend to build additional pressure in them when the temperatures are hotter. It doesn’t help that friction plus the heat can lead to the tires overheating, further making summer an ideal season for a blowout.
If you have an automobile manufactured in 2008 or after, you may use the required tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) in your vehicle to give you a general idea. Some vehicles before that year may have this system as well. However, always check the tire pressure yourself before the trip.
Remain Hydrated
Dehydration can lead to increased tiredness, which can ultimately elevate your risk of an accident. When you’re tired, you can’t think and watch your surroundings as optimally as you would when you’re not tired. If you’re tired, your reaction time is also slowed.
You may try to limit how much you drink to avoid making pit stops on road trips. You’re putting yourself at risk of becoming increasingly sleepy, though, due to dehydration. It doesn’t help that it’s hot out, so your likelihood of dehydration is higher.
Bring Items for Your Children to Do
Yelling, restless children are quite a distraction. Keep your children as busy as possible by bringing items to keep them occupied, which will reduce the kids fighting, throwing things, whining, etc.
Consider making busy bags for them, each with the same items and perhaps a few items specific to the interests of each child. Pack a few games, activity books, and possibly a pen and paper. Have a list handy of fun car games to play.
Take Stretch and Sleep Breaks as Necessary
Let’s say you’re driving 18 hours for your trip. You might want to avoid staying at a hotel or needing to take any breaks to make the entire trip in one day, but that isn’t safe. You could exhaust yourself, slow your reaction time, and make it increasingly more difficult to pay attention to the road and other cars.
Take breaks every few hours to give your mind a break. Limit how many hours you drive each day. Either switch with another driver in the car or stop for the night at a hotel.
Get Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care can help your posture and reduce your pain. Poor posture can reduce your airflow because it stresses your internal organs. Your lungs won’t have enough room to expand fully. And as a result, your body won’t get enough air. Without enough oxygen flowing throughout your system, you might feel more tired than usual.
At our practice, our chiropractor will help you improve your posture. You can then learn what you use in our office while you’re driving to ensure you’re receiving enough airflow.
Our practitioner at Premier Chiropractic Center, serving Bessemer, AL, and the surrounding area, can help improve your posture to assist in preventing an accident this summer. Our chiropractor may also help alleviate your pain to ensure your trips are as comfortable as possible.
Book an appointment with us today by calling 205-519-4024 or using our online contact form.
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