Attention to those embarking on Eid journeys!

Road and Traffic Safety Consultant Özgür Şener, issuing important warnings to drivers who will set off before Eid al-Adha, drew attention to the increased intercity traffic density during the Eid period, stating that drivers could face vital risks in many areas, from driving while sleep-deprived to using mobile phones, from vehicle maintenance to correctly reading traffic signs.
Özgür Şener, stating that simple yet critical measures taken during Eid journeys can prevent traffic accidents, said, “A travel interruption is not a crisis; it is a process that can be controlled when managed correctly. However, panic and uncontrolled actions can exponentially increase the existing risk.”
 

Instructor in the Occupational Health and Safety Department at Üsküdar University, and Road and Traffic Safety Consultant, Özgür Şener, issued vital warnings to drivers ahead of Eid al-Adha.

Özgür Şener, pointing to simple but critical measures to be taken during Eid journeys, said, “Eid al-Adha is approaching, and a major intercity travel movement will begin in our country. To spend this Eid together without traffic accidents, and deaths or injuries caused by them, and to prevent traffic accidents, all our drivers who are setting off must take precautions. All these precautions are critically important to ensure that driving is not interrupted for any reason and that no one is stranded on the road.” 

Sleep-deprived driving makes accidents inevitable

Özgür Şener emphasized that drivers must be well-rested before setting off, saying, “Our drivers must absolutely have had enough sleep and be rested. When drivers who have not had enough sleep and are not sufficiently rested become sleepy during driving, their driving concentration first deteriorates, their attention levels decrease, and they become unable to perceive dangers. If driving continues, the driver will fall asleep while driving, and an accident will become inevitable.”

Route should be thoroughly examined before the journey

Şener stated that the route should be thoroughly examined before the journey, saying, “The driver should examine the entire route they will travel via the internet. This examination should include closed roads, weather conditions, and traffic density on the route. Equipment that must be in the vehicle (including a spare tire, equipment necessary for tire change, a warning triangle, a fire extinguisher, and other legally required equipment), and the clothing choices of the driver and passenger (sunglasses, raincoats, jackets, umbrellas) should be planned in line with this assessment. These conditions should be evaluated when determining travel time, and driving time, break time, and planning for a second driver or accommodation for driving hours exceeding 12 hours should be made.”

Driving in the dark increases risks

Şener suggested that driving should be done as much as possible during daylight hours, stating, “Drives should be planned to take place during daylight hours as much as possible. Driving in the dark largely relies only on vehicle headlights. This situation causes dangers (such as potholes on the road, inability to fully understand road boundaries due to faded road markings, insufficient information from other vehicles’ headlights regarding distance, etc.) not to be understood adequately and in a timely manner. For electric vehicles, charging planning appropriate to the vehicle’s range should be included in these plans.”

Medications causing drowsiness should be paused before setting off

Şener also drew attention to the need to pause the use of medications that cause drowsiness if the driver is taking them, saying, “If setting off with a new vehicle, information should be obtained about its systems such as ventilation, heating-cooling system, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot warning system, and automatic braking system. When these features are not sufficiently known, drivers may perceive these technical features as problems during driving. They may even go as far as disabling the systems, thus deactivating safety measures.”

A break should be taken every 2-2.5 hours

Şener highlighted the importance of taking breaks during long journeys, saying, “Drives exceeding 2 hours and 15 minutes in a single stretch are considered long-distance driving. Therefore, driving should be planned with breaks taken every maximum of 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. During these breaks, it is recommended that the driver gets out of the car, performs simple exercises to regulate blood flow, and takes short walks.”

Phones must absolutely not be used while driving

Özgür Şener stated that using a mobile phone while driving poses a serious risk, continuing as follows:

“Issues related to work and private life that require phone calls during driving should, if possible, be completed before driving. Issues that will preoccupy the mind and require phone calls during driving should be resolved. If there are passengers in the vehicle, stressful topics, including family matters, that could disrupt mental state and concentration should be avoided. Mobile phones must absolutely not be used while driving; all communication needs such as calls and messaging should be handled during planned breaks. In emergency situations that require a call, the conversation should definitely be held after stopping in a safe area.”

Everyone, including those in the back seat, must wear seatbelts

Şener highlighted that seatbelts are mandatory not only for the driver but for all passengers, stating, “The driver themselves must always drive with their seatbelt fastened, and ensure that all passengers, including those in the back seats, wear their seatbelts.”
Özgür Şener also warned, “Do not try to anticipate the actions of other drivers while driving.” He added, “You have no way of knowing what the driver in another vehicle will do. They might be a new driver, they might not know the driving rules, they might be a driver with insufficiently good reflexes, they might be ill, they might be talking on the phone, they might be a driver without danger awareness, they might not be in a mentally suitable condition for driving, or they might be driving while sleep-deprived and tired. Always focus on your own driving behavior. Do not engage in any driving behavior that you think would not be safe.”

Vehicle maintenance should not be neglected

Şener emphasized that vehicle maintenance is of vital importance before Eid journeys, stating, “It must be ensured that the vehicle’s authorized service maintenance has been carried out to a high standard (Oil quality and level appropriate, electrical system appropriate, battery appropriate, wipers working, braking systems appropriate, lighting systems working and adjusted, especially no cracks or chips in the windshield, no engine malfunctions, and antifreeze windshield fluid). There should be no tears or cuts in the tires, and their tread depths should be appropriate (while the legal limit is 1.6 millimeters, the safe limit is 3 millimeters for summer tires and 4 millimeters for winter tires). Tire air pressures should be at factory settings (information on appropriate tire air pressure for the vehicle is written in the vehicle's manual, on the fuel filler cap, or inside the driver's door). Remember, tire pressures are not changed for winter or summer conditions. They must always be at factory values under all conditions).”

Red triangles warn of approaching danger

Şener emphasized that drivers must adhere to all legal speed limits, stating, “Mobile phones must never be used, and food and beverages should not be consumed while driving. The driver’s attention must be solely on the road.”

Şener shared important information regarding the meanings of traffic signs, saying, “Driving should be done in accordance with traffic signs. Red triangular signs warn drivers in advance of an approaching danger. Red circular signs indicate prohibitions; they express behaviors that the driver should not do, such as speed limits, no overtaking, or no vehicle entry.”

Şener stated that informative signs are generally created with white symbols on a blue background, saying, “Lane regulations, main road information, and directions are conveyed to drivers through these signs. While stopping and parking signs regulate parking conditions, highway signs determine highway-specific driving rules.”

A travel interruption is not a crisis, but a process that needs to be managed correctly

Şener stated that journeys may not always proceed as planned, emphasizing that it is vital for drivers to act correctly in unusual situations such as vehicle breakdowns, accidents, or technical problems.

“A travel interruption is not a crisis; it is a process that can be controlled when managed correctly. However, managing this process safely depends on both precautions taken before the journey and correct actions at the moment of the incident,” said Şener, emphasizing that safety should be the top priority when stopping a vehicle.

Vehicles should not be stopped inside bends or in areas with limited visibility

Şener stated that in case of vehicle breakdown or mandatory stop, drivers should first choose a safe area, saying, “The vehicle should be stopped as soon as possible on the right side of the road or in the emergency lane, in a way that does not obstruct traffic flow. Stopping is absolutely prohibited inside bends, on hilltops, and in areas with limited visibility.”

Şener noted that the hazard warning lights should be switched on immediately after the vehicle stops, saying, “Except in emergencies such as fire, heavy smoke, or collision risk, passengers should not be allowed to exit the vehicle uncontrolled. One of the biggest mistakes made, especially on highways, is passengers exiting the vehicle unknowingly.”

Panic is the greatest risk

Şener stated that in situations where exiting the vehicle is necessary, reflectors should be placed at an appropriate distance, and he drew attention to the importance of using reflective vests in night conditions.

“Passengers must wait behind barriers or in safe areas off the road,” said Şener, adding that relevant authorities should be informed quickly in emergency situations.

Özgür Şener, stating that simple but critical measures taken during Eid journeys can prevent traffic accidents, said, “A travel interruption is not a crisis; it is a process that can be controlled when managed correctly. However, panic and uncontrolled actions can exponentially increase the existing risk.”

Emphasizing that panic is the greatest risk in such incidents, Şener concluded, “The driver should be guiding, and passengers must follow the driver’s instructions. Uncontrolled movements and waiting on the road should be absolutely avoided.”