Holiday destinations are often a far distance from town and many people enjoy motoring adventures that involve long hours behind the wheel. However, very often driving on rural roads leads to death when their car leaves the road and rolls or hits something hard.. Many of these accidents happen as the result of loosing control when turning - going into a slide or getting off the black-top. The matter is in the fact that driving on rural roads over a long distance can put additional stresses on both a car and a driver. To be safe and easy, long trips should be well-prepared and carefully planned. Keep in mind that fatigue and burning desire to get to the destination as soon as possible increase your risk of serious crash.

Country roads are dangerous and difficult to hit, that’s why they require you to concentrate fully at all times on the events inside and outside the car.

The following factors can cause the crash on country road:

* long distances;
* running off the road;
* different road surfaces;
* animals on the road;
* overtaking long and slow vehicles;
* driving at night and in bad weather.

Tiredness Driving while drowsy causes many vehicle crashes on country roads. We have already mentioned the ways to resist a sleep. They are:

* having a good night’s sleep before driving
* avoiding driving during the night or immediately after you finish work
* having a break or rest stop every 2 hours
* avoiding driving at times when you are usually asleep
* avoiding driving for more than 8-10 hours a day.

Keep in mind that, if you are tired, a half-an-hour nap will increase your attention and ability of concentration far more than drinking coffee, listening to the radio or other “tricks”.

Speed limit.

In the U.S. the open road speed limit is 100 km\h. However, you should realize the faster you drive the greater is your risk of crashing and the more serious the crash may be. So, to avoid any accidents on the country road, keep within the speed limit and always try to adjust your speed to road state and weather conditions in order to be able to stop the car in time.

Running off the road

This situation is quite common and often causes severe crashes. You run off the road, drive on to the soft edge-hen over-correcting your steering to the right, or braking too hard. If you are on the soft edge:

* lift your foot from the accelerator to slow down;
* hold the steering wheel firmly with both hands;
* don’t try to pull straight back on to the road;
* drive slowly on to the bitumen, but be careful of the raised edge between the bitumen and soft edge as this can wrench the steering wheel out of your hand.

Various road surfaces.

Country roads differ from those in the city. They often have a wavy surface and are made from different materials. You should slow down on such surfaces as

* to brake safely you’ll need double the distance;
* when driving around a bend, you ca lose control at a much lower speed;
* clay surface is very slippery when it is wet.

Animals on the road. Animals are often hypnotized by the glare of headlights. Be very careful and always look out for animals especially at night when a lot of them are moving around to deed.

Driving at night or in bad weather. When you drive in rain, fog or just if it is difficult to see far ahead, turn on your vehicle’s lights. In poor weather condition you must drive slowly, watching for other vehicles approaching intersections.

Overtaking. Before to overtake other vehicle ask yourself if it is really so necessary. Don’t overtake if you are hesitating.

Driving on rural roads take extra care when overtaking long vehicles. To overtake a long vehicle you need to allow a plenty of time and even more time if the road is wet. Keep in mind that trailers or caravans may sway from side to side. There are also a lot of slow moving vehicles and large agricultural machinery, such as tractors and harvesters on rural roads. They are often deceptive in size and can be much wider and longer than expected.

Remember to

* overtake agricultural vehicles at slow speeds as they often swerve when approaching posts or have to turn into adjacent property
* when overtaking, cornering or driving over a crest of a hill; a slow vehicle may be on or entering the road in front of you.

To make your long trip more comfortable and enjoyable follow these simple directions of experienced drivers:

* Take additional water, food and tools;
* Investigate the road conditions;
* Don’t leave your vehicle for a long time in unfamiliar place;
* Don’t forget to take your mobile phone.

Before starting a long trip, make sure that your vehicle is properly prepared to it and to all the problems and troubles you can meet during the travel.

Roger Levinsen

Technorati tags: Country Driving, Rural Driving, Country Road Drive