Temecula Valley- It’s Back to School in the Summer Heat!
Menifee, Temecula, Hemet Lake Elsinore!! It’s Back To School Time!
August is back to school month for Murrieta, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Temecula, and surrounding areas. West Tow of Menifee knows that traffic conditions are going to become a lot more hectic and difficult now that school is back in session. One of the nicer things we enjoy as a result of summer vacation is that our commute times are far little less congested. Most of us commuters, in the Temecula Valley, have a few more minutes in the mornings or afternoons to reach our destinations.
Allow More Time In The Morning Menifee!
Now once again , Menifee, Murrieta, Hemet, Temecula, and surrounding area; residents need to adjust their commute in one way or another This will allow for extra travel time and ensure safe arrival. Back to school days affect everyone’s routine and commuting becomes a little more problematic for all road users. As commuters or parents in the Inland Empire, we know that our summer daily routines were a little more relaxed and less hectic. This time of year planning and adding an extra 30 minutes of prep time to your daily routine can save a lot of unnecessary stress. Several Issues to think about:
Increases in traffic: More cars using the roads, school buses and children present, getting off and on school buses, or walking to school. Advise your kids, if you have them, on safety issues and how to be alert to the drivers and traffic around them. Those drivers may be trying to get to destinations in less time and no paying attention.
• Drivers: With more road hazards and kids just trying to get to school or going home and they may not be paying attention to traffic conditions, which is why they have priority when in school zones. Stay alert and obey any road signs and just be more observant than usual and watch out for them.
• School zones: When children are present, your speed needs to be at or below the posted limit. Traffic will also be stopping at unpredictable times, keep a safe distance. Parents may be trying to get in and out of school zones, causing an additional hazard for commute traffic.
• Crossing guards: May be present, their number #1 priority, looking out for the kid’s safety and it is up to you to pay attention to your surroundings and while driving at a safe and sensible speed. And stopping when requested. Look out for kids that may be trying to cross at other places or darting out between parked cars.
• School Buses: If they are stopped, do not automatically pass it, no matter what direction you are traveling in. If the bus is picking up or dropping off kids, it is the law that you stop and wait. The bus will have emergency signals flashing and a visible red stop sign/flag will show on the buses driver’s side of the vehicle. This means stop, do not pass, even if you are traveling in the opposite direction to the stopped bus. Even when safe to travel on, please stay alert.
• Non-school Zones: More people are using the roads, traffic can come to a sudden stop so keep to a safe braking distance, even when crawling in traffic. Do not drive so close that if the vehicle in front of you comes to a sudden stop, you collide with it. No matter who’s driving caused an accident, it is always considered the fault of the driver who collides with the vehicle in front.
• Tempers: Can be a little more elevated than usual, with the pressure of reaching our destinations on time and more cars using the roads. The best thing you can do for both yourselves, your families and any kids that are also out and about, is to make more time allowance to your day and have your vehicle in its best condition to handle potentially extreme conditions, stay calm. Shaving a minute or two off of your commute time, is it worth death or injury to yourself or others?
Hot Car Hazards and Heat Stroke
Always hydrate, lack of adequate fluids like water, juices or sports drinks in higher temperatures along with overexertion and stressful situations, can bring on serious medical conditions like hyperthermia, (heat stroke). For instance, if you become stranded in a broken-down vehicle, try to find a place of safety in shade and stay hydrated.
Do not leave your vehicle unlocked even in your driveway, while kids are around, they can become trapped inside, especially smaller children. Leaving kids in the car while running in for a quick errand or while attending an appointment of some sort, can, will and has led to life-threatening situations and unimaginable tragedy.
Here in Southern California, where we enjoy the warmth of the sun, practically year-round, that same warmth in an untended car can rise quickly to upwards of 130 degrees to nearly 200 degrees. No child or pets should ever be left by themselves unattended in a vehicle. If you ever become stranded or your car has an air conditioning problem, many of us have experienced going from nice cool air to hot blowing air due to a failure of the system, you could be facing a potential heatstroke, depending on the situation.
If you are feeling dizzy, your vision is blurry, uncontrolled trembling or is your skin is hot and dry or cold and clammy to the touch? If you think you are suffering from this condition, or having chest pains while driving, pull over where safe and if you have no air conditioning, get out of your car, find some shade and always dial 911.