BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — As traffic increases this Labor Day weekend, Triple-A anticipates helping nearly 58,000 drivers on the road, and there are important safety tips they'd like those drivers to keep in mind.
Doug Shupe with Triple-A also reminds everyone to remember the safety basics of driving.
"Make sure everybody in the car is buckled up, obey the speed limits and don't drive intoxicated, and don't drive in-text-icated."
Shupe says that of the people Triple-A surveyed, 32 percent of people plan to travel this Labor Day, and of those, 82 percent plan to travel by car. With the triple-digit temperatures across Kern County, Triple-A and the California Highway Patrol say not only to prepare yourself for the heat with snacks and water, but also make sure your vehicle is prepared.
"Be prepared for the heat as well. You never know because we will have additional motorists on the roadway that will be traveling as well, have extra water, extra food, and make sure your cell phone is fully charged," says CHP Officer Robert Rodriguez.
Rodriguez adds that traffic can be unpredictable, so prepare for the unexpected.
"You never know when you may come up to a location where the roadway's closed or maybe it's shut down for a minute, maybe there's a brush fire, maybe there's a major incident, and sometimes you'll have to be waiting in traffic for quite some time, so make sure you are prepared for that."
Triple-A also recommends having your car checked before traveling to avoid needing to call for roadside assistance.
"Heat can really take a toll on vehicles, so with this extreme weather that we're experiences, before hitting the road, makes sure you check your tire tread and inflation, make sure your fluid levels are topped off, including the coolant, very important for keeping your engine cool during these warmer days," said Shupe.
Triple-A adds that your car's battery is one of the most important things to check ahead of driving.
"Make sure that your battery has a good charge," says Shupe. "Most batteries last three to five years, so if you're close to the end of that lifespan, you may want to check that battery out and test it to make sure it has a good charge to get you home safely."
In addition to Labor Day road safety, Kern County Public Health reminds people that there are ways to protect yourself from the heat as well, such as celebrating indoors and staying hydrated, avoiding caffeine, drinks with large amounts of sugar, and alcohol. If you are celebrating outdoors, KCPH recommends wearing a hat that shades your face and neck and wearing loose fitting clothing.
"Heat safety is top of mind right now because we are experiencing such extreme heat, and we really just want to remind families to watch those around you that are most vulnerable," says Michelle Corson with KCPD. "That includes the elderly, children, those with chronic medical conditions. They're going to be susceptible to developing severe heat-related illness. Much quicker, possibly, than the rest of us."
To help keep the roads safe, the California Highway Patrol still has their maximum enforcement period in place through midnight on September 5th. Officers will be looking for speeding, intoxicated, and aggressive drivers.
