Are all road accidents avoidable? As with any other part of the world, the quest to tackle mortality on the roads has been a significant challenge in the Caribbean these last few decades. Thousands of lives have perished thanks to bad road infrastructure, as well as bad driving decisions including unroadworthy vehicles and drunk-driving. As we navigate through the festive period, this risk is debatably at its highest in the whole year. Here are a few reminders of how to ensure you and your family are safe these holidays – and beyond.

Service your car

Modern cars have computerized indicators that will warn you when they reach their service interval. These notifications are made so that you can service your car as a preventative rather than curative measure. You should never downplay the importance of keeping your car in good shape.

Adhere to road rules

Once again, this is a tip that will not be new to anyone. Yet many people still fail to adhere to traffic rules. This includes some of the basic things such as ensuring you have an emergency kit as well as confirming that your licenses and insurance are up to date. These are useful to help you with liability in case of incidents or accidents. Drive within speed limits, observe traffic lights and other traffic signs to avoid fines and most importantly to stay safe.

Don’t drink and drive

This might be the most widely given advice for road safety, but the truth is that it cannot be emphasized enough. Alcohol and driving are mutually exclusive; at least they should be.

Such stories continue to highlight the fact that people still don’t take the potential hazards of drunk-driving seriously enough, where they should. Solutions exist and they are easy to do. Get your own breathalyzer, have a designated driver or simply hail a cab.

The holidays are a time to celebrate life with friends and family, but things can turn sour because of a few missteps. Details that appear small can turn out to be life-changing. This is why you have to take every precaution to ensure that you do all that is within your power to remain safe.