Agencies urge safe travel during holidays

With many people traveling for the Christmas and New Year's holidays, state agencies are urging motorists to practice safety on the roads this winter.

The Kansas Highway Patrol, Kansas Turnpike Authority and the Kansas Department of Transportation have released safety tips for drivers as they prepare to hit the roads this holiday season. According to a KHP news release, the agencies cautioned that more people will be traveling, impaired drivers could be encountered and winter weather is always a threat this time of year.

KHP Technical Trooper Rick Wingate offered some safety tips that could prove helpful to motorists. He said one major tip is to make sure vehicles are winterized and ready for the season.

"Always make sure to get your car ready," Wingate said. "If you haven't been on a trip for awhile, take it down to the dealership or take it in and have it serviced."

Important vehicle tips include checking fluids, tires, wipers, batteries and the car's operating systems prior to winter travel.

"Make sure your windshield wiper fluid is full," Wingate said. "Coming into the winter months, there are some fluids that can be added to keep ice from sticking to the windshield."

Wingate said tires should be in good shape and maintain the correct tread and air pressure.

"Sometimes people overlook the spare tire," he said. "Make sure there is air in it. Sometimes we assist people with a flat tire and discover they have a spare tire with no air."

Wipers and batteries should be checked to make sure they are in good condition.

"Batteries last about three to four years then they start to get weak," he said.

Wingate said it is also important not to consume alcohol while driving and to always wear a seat belt. He also offered some tips for drivers themselves before they head out on long trips. He said motorists should drive during the times they are most accustomed to being awake and take periodic breaks during the trip.

"For yourself, if you're used to working at night and you're up all night, that's when you should travel as well," he said. "Don't try to drive during the day. Go two hours at a time or about 100 miles, then get out and stretch your legs. Don't change your sleep habits."

Wingate said a good idea, especially for extended trips, is to take a cell phone and battery charger. There are chargers available that can be used in the vehicle.

"On extended trips, sometimes the phone goes into search mode that will use more of their battery," he said.

Driving while tired is not a good idea, Wingate said. He said motorists who feel drowsy will sometimes use coffee or open the car windows to stay awake but Wingate said these are "temporary fixes."

"Pull over and rest if you're tired," he said. "The only cure for being tired is rest."

Items to have in a vehicle for traveling during the holidays include extra blankets, kitty litter for traction, a first aid kit, and a flashlight. Reflective triangles can be placed around vehicles stopped along roadsides as a warning to other vehicles.

Motorists can contribute to a safer traveling experience by using the following tips:

* Prepare vehicles for winter travel by replacing wiper blades, ensuring tires have good tread and checking the vehicle's fluids, exhaust system and other mechanical equipment.

* Always wear a seat belt and properly secure children in the appropriate safety seats.

* Motorists who are involved in a non-injury crash that involves non-hazardous materials should move their vehicle out of the lane of traffic to protect themselves as well as other drivers.

* Always make sure to designate a sober driver for a safe ride home from holiday festivities. Law enforcement will be out working and they wish to remind motorists that "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving," the news release said.

For those motorists who need roadside assistance while traveling, KDOT maintains a travel information portal called KanDrive, which can be accessed at www.KanDrive.org. The site can be used to look at Kansas highways before leaving home. While it is not specifically a smartphone app, it does have the ability to work on most smartphone browsers and can be bookmarked to the home screen for easy access, the release said.

Drivers can also call 511 from any phone in the state (or call 866-511-5368 out of state) for road conditions, closures, work zones and weather information. The agencies urge motorists to check road conditions and plan routes before leaving, and to notify family members of the planned route.

KHP and the Kansas Turnpike urge motorists to call them if they need assistance on a Kansas highway or if they see a suspected impaired driver. Wingate said KHP troopers carry emergency equipment needed for most basic roadside services.

"If they need to call KHP, they can dial *47 direct to KHP," Wingate said. "If there is a trooper in the immediate area, they will come by and assist with whatever is needed."

The Kansas Turnpike can be reached at *582. The patrol's Motorist Assist units will be working in the busy areas of the state, as will the Kansas Turnpike's State Farm Safety Assist program.

During the 2014 Christmas holiday, there were 393 crashes statewide including three fatal accidents resulting in three deaths. None of the fatality crashes were alcohol-related. There were 106 people injured in those crashes. The 2014 reporting period was from 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28, according to KDOT.

According to statistics provided by KDOT Public Information Officer Ann Williamson, during that same reporting period in 2014 for Bourbon County, there were a total of four accidents, one of which involved injuries to two people. None of the accidents were alcohol-related. Three of the local accidents involved only property damage.