School’s Out Soon—Watch for Kids This Summer!

Summer is finally in the air! The kids will be out of school soon, which means providers of trucking services in Minnesota need to be extra vigilant and watch out for youngsters running around and playing in the streets. This post will cover a few of the most important things you need to do to ensure everyone is safe on the road this season:

• Use your mirrors: Your mirrors are your best friends while you’re driving, especially when backing up in a residential area where kids might be playing. Be sure to use all three of your mirrors and double check those blind spots—you never know what might be right behind your car and just out of sight.
• Drive slow: Speed limits are posted for a reason, and you should obviously always obey them. However, during the summertime in residential areas, it’s a good idea to drive a bit slower than you usually would. There’s a good chance that kids are out playing in the street, and you’re less likely to get in an accident if you’re traveling at a slower speed.
• Check your brakes: Are your brakes up to snuff? Now is the time to get them tested to make sure! Have your brakes tested (and possibly replaced) now so that you can know for certain that they’ll work when you need them the most.
• Watch out for cyclists: Kids aren’t the only ones who will be out on the street this year—summer is also prime bike riding season! Though bikers should be watching out for you, it’s a good idea to be mindful of them. Give them plenty of space on the shoulder of the road, especially if the street doesn’t have a designated bike lane.
• Watch the weather: Summer storms can pop up in an instant, which is less than ideal for all of the drivers out on the road. Be sure to keep an eye on the weather radar and be prepared for a sudden rainstorm that could impact driving conditions.
• Stay off your phone: If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a million times—put your phone away while you’re behind the wheel! Looking down for as little as a second to check a text message can result in an accident. If you absolutely have to send a text or make a phone call, pull over to the side of the road to do so.
• Drink plenty of water: Dehydration is a big cause of sluggishness, which can cause drivers to be distracted and lead to accidents. With this in mind, we recommend keeping a bottle of water on you at all times while you’re in the car. It’s also a good idea to ditch coffee, energy drinks and other sources of caffeine, as these all lead to dehydration.

If you need safe and professional trucking services in Minnesota, then be sure to choose K-Way Express, Inc. When you partner with us, you can rest easy knowing that your goods will make it from point A to point B on time and without any hiccups!