Fall brings a change in the weather and provides a reminder of upcoming holiday travels, which highlights the importance of vehicle maintenance for safety both on and off base.
Steve Serrette, occupational safety manager, 72nd Air Base Wing, said that poor visibility and wet driving conditions are two of the most common hazards during this time of year. With increased fog and increased rain, drivers need to be cautious in maintaining speed and increase their stopping distance.
“There are few things more beautiful than a fall drive, but this season can bring some unique hazards for drivers,” Serrette said. “Being aware of these potential dangers can help keep you and your family safe, and prevent accidents.”
Serrette said that drivers should be aware of maintaining vehicle headlights, tire condition and vehicle fluids, such as brake fluid and wiper fluid, to avoid accidents.
A driving hazard that Serrette said drivers should always be conscious of regardless of the weather is tire safety and tread health. He added that studies have shown that maintaining proper tire pressure, observing load limits, monitoring tire tread and inspecting tires for cuts, slashes and other irregularities are the most important things drivers can do to avoid collisions and accidents.
One of the most common causes of tire blowouts and increased wear on tire tread is over-inflating tires. Most manufacturers provide specific air pressure guidelines for tires that drivers can easily access on the inside edge of a vehicle’s door, door post, glove-box or the inside of the trunk. Tire pressure guidelines can also be obtained from the tires themselves, which have the pressure and other significant manufacturer details listed on them.
“It always goes back to the manufacturer’s guidelines,” Serrette said. “When something doesn’t work, you always go back to the old axiom that says, ‘If it doesn’t work, go read the instructions.’ When in doubt, always read the instructions.”
He said that it is important to check tire pressure at least once a month and to maintain pressure according to manufacturing guidelines as needed so that all tires have the required amount of pressure. He added that it is important to check the pressure when the vehicle’s tires are “cold,” having not been in use for at least three hours.
As for the tread, Serrette said that tires are generally unsafe once their tread is worn down to 1/16 of an inch. He said the easiest and most common way for a driver to observe a tire’s tread is to conduct the penny test.
In this test, one places a penny upside down so that President Abraham Lincoln’s head is in the groove of the tire’s tread. If the entirety of Lincoln’s head can be seen, Serrette said that the tire should be replaced to avoid a blowout.
In the event that a driver does blow a tire out, Serrette said it is also important that the damaged tire is repaired quickly and that the driver does not rely on the spare as a new tire. As spare tires are smaller, Serrette said their tread wears faster than other tires and can more quickly lead to a blowout.
“Those little donuts are only designed for very temporary use,” Serrette said. “But you see people on the highway driving 60 or 70 miles per hour on them and it’s very dangerous because that’s not what they’re designed to do.”
Another driving hazard that Serrette said can easily be avoided is distracted driving, especially avoiding cell phone use on the road.
“Oklahoma has mandated a law that clearly says, ‘Thou shalt not text and drive,’” Serrette said. “If you stand out here on this base, you’ll see a lot of signs that indicate hands free cell phone use only. But hands free for some people mean that they hold the phone in one hand while driving with the other. This is not hands free.”
While Serrette said it may seem a bit early to worry about changing weather conditions, being aware is important in preventing accidents. For more information about vehicle safety or other safety issues, call the OC-ALC Safety Office at 739-3263.