Summer Safety Kits For Vehicles
With the summer season just around the corner, many people are already planning vacations, road trips, or camping and weekend getaways on both sides of the border. While these trips can be fun, its important to remember that road safety will factor into how memorable your family vacation turns out to be.
When you are travelling across the border by vehicle, there could be long periods of time between rest stations. It’s also possible that, while you may know where you are going, you may not know what’s available along the route. Nearby hospitals, or numbers for emergency or roadside assistance services can be hard to find when you’re involved in a motor vehicle accident in a foreign country.
To help alleviate some of the stress that could come with an unexpected accident on a road trip, the Canadian Automobile Association has compiled a list of essentials that drivers should include in an emergency kit before going on long road trips, especially in foreign territory. We’ve outlined a few of the essentials below:
- Reflective safety triangles: If you have been involved in an accident on a rural road, it could take some time before an emergency vehicle can get to any injured passengers. Having some reflective gear could help alert any oncoming traffic that there’s an accident and to proceed cautiously around.
- Flashlights: A lot of rural roads, or long stretches of highways in between cities may not be as well lit as urban centres. Because of this, it’s good to have an emergency flashlight on hand to shed some light if you or a passenger has been injured in an accident.
- Warm clothes and accessories: Temperatures drop at night. If you find yourself without shelter while you wait for an emergency vehicle, you may want to have blankets, sweaters, and even gloves on hand to keep you warm.
These are all measures that may be able to offer you some comfort or aid if you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident across borders while you wait for help. Another important tip is to make sure you consult with a personal injury lawyer with experience in cross-border accidents. He or she will be able to inform you of your legal rights and what compensation you can pursue.