- Hi there, smart drivers.
Talking to you tonight about holiday driving.
Next weekend is Memorial Day weekend in the United States,
so we're going to talk about that,
planning trips and getting there safely
and getting back home safely.
Stick around, we'll be right back with that information.
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Hi, there's smart drivers.
Welcome back, Rick, with Smart Drive Test talking
to you tonight from beautiful British Columbia.
Here we go.
Road trips and holiday driving.
As I said, it was Queen Victoria weekend here in Canada.
There's still many of the provinces that are locked down.
Ontario is still in lockdown.
Some of the states are still locked down
but next weekend is Memorial day weekend
in the US and hopefully we're going to start traveling.
First thing you need to do preparing for a long road trip
is get your vehicle ready,
make sure everything is working.
Make sure that you've checked all the fluids.
You've changed the oil if it needs an oil change.
Make sure you check the tire pressure.
Okay? Wiper blades keeps the windshield clear
and allows you to see.
And if you don't know how to do any of this stuff
find a mechanic that you trust
and take your vehicle to them.
Tell them you're going on a long trip
and you want to make sure that everything is working.
And you can look at this video that I did
with Rich de Man on winter car care.
Yes, it's preparation for the winter, but it will also work
for preparing your vehicle for long trips as well.
All of the stuff is in there that you need to
go over and do, and those types of things.
So the next thing is navigation.
Most of you are going to use phones
and those types of things, check out Google maps,
write down your directions.
Get some help if you don't understand how to do this.
Figure out what mile markers are on highways.
Those will really help you out to know where you are
and it's a good defensive technique as well.
Okay? Plan your breaks.
Figure out where playgrounds are and those types of things
because kids need to get out and run around.
You need to get out and run around and walk around.
And if you get lost and you don't know where you're going
stop and ask for directions.
Activities. If you're traveling with children,
you're traveling with your family,
you definitely want to have activities
in the vehicle for them.
There are many, many, many things that you can do
to keep children occupied while you're driving.
Accessibility to items in the vehicle,
drinks and snacks and pens and papers
and other things that they might need.
All right.
So preparation, packing the car accordingly, you know
you're taking turns driving.
One person is navigating.
You have the directions written down,
where you're going to have meal breaks,
where you're going to stop and can stop
at the parks and schools and those types
of things without getting too far off the road.
Make sure that you have blankets and pillows in the vehicle
so people can be comfortable and those types of things.
And prescription medications,
if you're on prescription medications
make sure you have access to them if you have to take them.
Be sure that you know what the effects
of those medications are on you and your driving.
Cruise control. If you don't know how to use cruise control,
figure out how to use cruise control.
There's a video here on the channel.
Corey will put that up for you.
Most newer vehicles will not only have cruise control,
they will have adaptive cruise control
which will maintain a two or three second following distance
behind the traffic in front of you
so you don't even have to slow down.
Night driving.
If you do have to drive at night, know
that as one of the smart drivers said a few years ago,
it's like driving on another planet.
Okay? You're tired.
Your lights don't work very well
because especially when you're out
on highways and those types of things.
So know that drowsy drivers rest in pieces
as they like to say.
Okay, brakes for cars every couple of hours.
So make sure that you plan your breaks accordingly,
that you can get stopped every couple of hours
get yourself a drink, you know, walk around,
get the blood flowing and those types of things.
Lots of lighter meals, know that.
Don't sit down at the restaurant and eat a big meal.
It's going to stick in your stomach
and it's going to make you tired.
So know that as well.
All right. Comfort and clothing.
Okay. Take off any jackets,
make sure that you're comfortable in the vehicle.
If it is winter time that you're traveling
or it's inclement weather, make sure
that you have rain jackets or winter coats or mittens
and those types of things in the vehicle
just in case the vehicle breaks down.
Back support, if you've got sore back
or those types of things.
And then accessibility to CDs, to medication
to water and glasses and all
of those other things that you need.
Emergency stops and breakdowns.
Don't pull over on the side of a highway.
Don't pull over on the side of a freeway
unless it is absolutely an emergency.
Okay. Make sure that you have a cell phone cord
in your vehicle because you can't call for help
and have a survival kit in the vehicle as well.
You know, you can buy these at Canadian Tire
or Home Depot or any place that sells auto supplies.
Smith passed my end test using the instructors Corolla
with flying colors
but I'm still having trouble driving my dad's truck around.
Do you have any vehicle recommendations for new drivers?
Yes. My recommendations for new vehicles is
either a Corolla or a Honda civic, one of those two.
Rhonna, why do I feel uncomfortable shoulder checking
when I'm driving?
Probably you feel uncomfortable because you're
doing it too slowly.
And what happens is, is when your shoulder checking too
slowly, you're turning your head like this.
And you're kind of really looking over there.
What's going to happen is the vehicle is going to move
in the direction that you're looking.
So you want to move your head more quickly.
Corey, yes. Blind spot detectors on cars,
because this is what happens
is people lose this skill after a while,
they don't shoulder check anymore.
So they put blind spot detectors on.
Pretty soon, I mean, it's getting to the point
where we're not going to have to drive cars anymore.
Okay. So we're going to wrap it up for tonight
if you've had a driver's test in the last week or so
and you passed, congratulations on that.
If you're taking a trip next weekend
during Memorial Day weekend, all the best.
And remember pick the best answer,
not necessarily the right answer
- You're daughter's back!
- Oh yeah, Here she is. Okay.
- And bacon rules.
- Oh, bacon rules? There you go.
There's you get your bacon t-shirt on.
- Bacon.
- Okay. We're going to say good night.
All the best everybody and have an awesome, awesome week.
Good night. - Bye.
Goodbye Margaret. All the best.
- Eat chips.
- Yes, eat chips.