Summer brings to mind long hot days where a trip to the beach or country is in order. It also opens up the possibilities of going out on the open road enjoying the weather. Even if bad weather days have passed there are still other dangers on the roads which can affect the unwary motorist.

Temperatures during the summer months will rise, yielding in some places a lack of rain. Debris that is not taken away by rainfall can increase on the surface of the roads. Other surface issues such as oil, dust, and rubber can also be plentiful in areas where rain has not occurred often. A lack of rain can make the road more slippery.

These slippery conditions can worsen after a brief period of rain, when all of the detritus on the road surface mixes with the standing water and the road becomes even more slippery than you would normally expect.

If you are driving after rainfall and the weather has increased in heat you should be cautioned that braking needs to change. You will need more distance to stop. You also need to consider reducing your speed when you go around curves since the grip of the wheels will be less.

The tarmac can also become much more slippery after a very long and hot dry spell, when the road develops a polished surface finish due to the heat and the constant flow of passing vehicles.

Warmer weather presents a number of adventures for the driver and it also brings out other potential fun seekers. Families on holiday with their caravans will become more noticeable and they can be a slight disruption in your speed. However, you dont want to irritate them. They belong on the road like you do, thus keeping your cool is appropriate when driving among others trying to have a great holiday like you.

Caravan drivers tend to drive for longer hours and distance. They may even be uncertain of the roads they are on. If children are in the caravan there can be more distractions. Moving without signalling can be a common occurrence of the caravan driver. You should be ready for the unsuspected. You will also need to contemplate whether you should pass them and be wary for any curves where a slow vehicle may be.

Modern vehicles come with daylights which turn on even when it is sunny out. Running lights during the day in summer has been researched, which is one reason daylights are now on modern cars. It was determined that having lights in the daytime reduces collisions and accidents by 12 percent. Factors like sun glasses, spotty shaded areas, and the summer sun makes leaving your lights on safer for other drivers to see you and you to see them.

If you are considering running with your car lights on during the day it is well worth upgrading your Auto Bulbs, to maximise their visibility and endurance. One area that your lights will really benefits is by fitting New Sidelight Bulbs, they are straight forward to fit and are available as either xenon or LED bulbs.

Road accidents due to texting behind the wheel have soared up. But, if we look closer unto the different distractions that the drivers of today face, texting is one that we should worry the least.

First is cell phone use. This was atop the distractions list for years, so much so that most states and cities now require the use of a non-hand held phone unit. This can involve a speakerphone or a headset, or other devices that keep the hands free. You might have seen scenarios that involve drivers driving too slow, or too fast, stopping at stop signs a little too late, or ignoring traffic signage. Of course, they are doing this all while talking on the phone. With or without the actual hand held talking on the phone, they can get you distracted.

And speaking of mates (or friends), have you ever held a conversation with someone while you drove? Oops, you were driving while distracted.

Adjusting the air conditioning, heat or defrosting controls forces a driver to look toward and reach for the controls (often removed from the driver’s position). And adjusting the radio or CD controls, searching for a channel and/or inserting or removing a CD provides additional distractions.

Using our in-car navigation system and/or looking at a roadmap to ensure we are on the correct path add a distractive note, too.

Next, consider the family, especially with very young children and babies. It doesn’t take much for an unruly child (especially if they are bothering a sibling) or an incessantly crying baby to cause a driving parent to turn around to see what is going on. And if the child is trying to get out of his/her seatbelt or throwing things, the increased anxiety easily redirects the driver’s attention to actions inside the car, not those outside.

Distractions can sometimes be linked with what we, drivers, should be doing in the first place. Often times we get side tracked with a lot of goings on the road, like an aggressive drivers snaking its way on the freeway. Our minds are suddenly shifted and glued to that driver when it should be on the road, other vehicles and the highway signage.

There are also commotions on the road like accidents, a disabled car on the shoulder, or even the flashing patrol car lights are also distracting. Craning our necks, or rubbernecking, just to see a closer look at the accident will cause the traffic flow to slowdown, sometimes causing cars to bump one another causing more traffic jams and frustrations. The worst thing that you can get with this activity is a ticket and your certainly don’t want that.

And let’s not forget about all those highway signs, bill boards and other signage that graces our roadways in city and countryside settings. We’d better be looking at these to avoid missing a turn or driving faster than allowed.

With the way things are, we might be looking to the future of driving laws becoming stricter. The distractions that we see as harmless will eventually warrant the driver’s tickets should these stricter laws be implemented.

The good thing is that it will take our minds off any unwanted distractions and further possible accidents.

Dorthy Weatherbush tries to be a safe driver all the time. She also tries to protect her vehicle. That’s why she buys automotive parts and accessories from Weather Tech. She can shop WeatherTech.com for all the car parts and accessories she needs.