Fall is here! Feel that crisp air? Do you see the falling leaves? Smell pumpkin spice… everything? For a season that brings us all so much joy, fall can present a number of unique safety hazards for your drivers.
Autumn brings many different types of weather, from rain to snow and dense fog due to drastic changes in weather. With rain, frost, falling leaves and leftover dust from summer construction, slick roads become very present during these months. The shorter days from “Fall-back” daylight savings time places the sun lower in the sky, causing glare. And how about those autumn sunsets? They can take your breath away, but we all know they can be quite blinding! Glare from the sun can make it harder to see road markings and other vehicles on the road – drivers should shade their eyes with sunglasses to reduce the glare and keep themselves and others on the road safe.
Fall also means that school is back in session, so the roads will be heavily concentrated at certain times of the day, causing drivers to slow down. Drivers should allow more time to their destination. Leaves and debris accumulate along our roadways and can conceal potholes or road damage. It is important to be extra aware of our surroundings and to ALWAYS watch out for children playing in piles of leaves on the side of the roads.
Here are some safety tips to keep in mind – they seem like “no-duh” suggestions, but they are vital…
- Check your vehicle emergency kits regularly and be sure to review your equipment replacement logs for every piece of equipment in your fleet – this will also prepare it for winter.
- Once summer ends, it is important to install your winter tires, to be ready for what fall may bring. Check your tires more than usual during the fall months - just as you do in the winter, as air in the tires will contract in some cooler temperatures decreasing the pressure and making driving less safe.
- Use your fog lights in foggy conditions.
- Check your headlights are working properly in anticipation of a rainier season.
- Replace your windshield wiper blades if they are worn from a heavy winter.
- Avoid driving through leaves as they can be slick from rain and become dangerously hazardous to driver safety.
- If frost is present, gently brake at each overpass and bridge as these bad boys freeze first!
Practicing these safe-driving tips throughout the fall & winter months will help your drivers and others on the road stay safe. Our skilled mechanics and service professionals have decades of experience in keeping fleets running smoothly. Call us today to learn more about our fleet repair services – or visit one of our state-of-the-art repair centers for an estimate. And don’t forget to ask us about our replacement products. Our inventory is always fully stocked – with more than 52,000 products available throughout our network of locations in the Metropolitan area. What’s more, our experienced sales professionals are here to guide you to ensure that you find exactly the right parts to meet your needs. If we don’t have a part you need in stock, we can order it for you – or, if you need it right away, help you find it immediately. Safe Driving! 516-746-0836