Traffic Safety Tips for 4th of July Weekend

The amount of people on the roads accelerates on 4th of July weekend in Minnesota.  State Trooper Sargent Jesse Grabow joined me on WJON.  He has some tips for motorists.  Those include the following:

1) Patience - Grabow says increase your following distance.  He says many accidents can be avoided if people increase their following distance.

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2) If you're vehicle were to break down - Grabow suggests getting your vehicle off the road to the right shoulder as quickly and safely as possible.  He says move the vehicle right of the shoulder if possible.  Grabow says you should know your location and call in your emergency so help can arrive.

3) While dealing with Road Construction - Grabow suggests paying attention to the signage in construction zones, slow down and always wear your seatbelt.  He says zipper merge when lanes are lost is still the way to go.  Grabow explains waiting to zipper merge is better than moving over as soon as a sign says there will be a lane lost and merge left or right.

4) Driving Under the Influence - Grabow says when in doubt always have that sober ride in place.  He suggests making sure you have a plan to make it home safe.  Grabow says improvements have been made in reducing the amount of impaired drivers on the road but there is room for improvement.

5) Seat Belt - Grabow says there will be extra enforcement all over Minnesota making sure people are using their seat belts.  He says distracted driving, seat belt use and speed are the things they will be looking for this weekend.

6) Campers and Trailers - Grabow reminds those using trailers, boats and campers to make sure they have the proper hook ups, chains, and your lights and brakes are working properly as well.  He also suggests making sure you have proper registration and a spare tire.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Sargent Jesse Grabow, it is available below.