RALEIGH – With the holiday season in full swing, more North Carolinians are driving to visit their family and friends.
To help everyone reach their destination safely, the N.C. Department of Transportation and a long-time truck driver from the Triad region are offering their
tips for safe travels.
“There’s so many things that go into play," said David Frazier, a 35-year driver for XPO, a less-than-truckload freight transportation company in Kernersville, who recently surpassed 4 million miles of crash-free driving. “It takes a lot of years to create the right habits, because the habits that you develop over a long period of time will carry you through some of the moments when you may be a little distracted or a little tired,” Frazier said.
Brian Mayhew, the state traffic engineer for NCDOT, said there is plenty both on and off the road that can distract drivers during the holidays. He stressed the need to keep the focus on your surroundings when behind the wheel.
"For safe driving – especially this time of year, when our minds our typically on our trips and travels and recreation – it is very important to be well rested,” Mayhew said. “I know we get in a hurry on our trips, but it's really important to be careful and thoughtful about your speed and about your following distance between yourself and other vehicles.”
As someone who drives for a living, Frazier is all too familiar with distracted driving.
“The distracted driving is unreal and that’s why it takes so much more,” he said. “It’s a lot harder now to stay safe than it used to be.”
Frazier considers his physical condition before stepping foot in a vehicle.
“(The) first thing is what you do before,” Frazier said. “Getting the right rest and keeping yourself in some kind of decent shape makes all the difference in the world. It takes a very conscientious effort all the time. Keep tabs on that. And if you get tired, stop and take a break.
“I don’t push myself to the point of exhaustion, it’s not worth the risk.”
Frazier hopes his crash-free driving streak will reach the 5 million mile mark, which will take him about 8.5 years.
For more safe driving tips, visit this NCDOT webpage. The department also encourages people to visit
DriveNC.gov or follow
NCDOT on social media for real-time travel information before they start traveling.