Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — You’ve put up with hours in traffic every day to go to work or to drop off the kids at school and, finally, the time has come.
You’ve filed your leaves. You’ve made the reservations. It’s nothing but wide-open roads as you go somewhere far, far away for the holidays.
But hold your horses (or in this case, cars).
Holidays are meant to be a joyous time, but if you aren’t prepared, you (or worse, your loved ones) may be among the 10,000 Filipinos killed in road crashes every year, according to estimates by the World Health Organization in 2015.
Petron, the country’s leading oil refining and marketing company, said having a happy holiday can be extended to your drive. Here’s how:
1. Remember B.L.O.W.B.A.G.
Catchy acronym, isn’t it? This is because it will be easy for you to remember to check your car’s vital systems before you go.
B – Battery
L – Lights
O – Oil
W – Water
B – Brakes
A – Air
G – Gas
If you’re good at tinkering with your car, your owner’s manual will have all the details you’ll need.
To be extra sure, have your car checked by a mechanic days ahead of your trip.
2. Brush up on your traffic rules.
Our roads are like asphalt jungles, partly because many drivers don’t have a clue about the rules of the road.
Knowing these rules is particularly vital on long drives, which often reach triple-digit speeds. One wrong move at 100 kilometers per hour can be catastrophic.
Petron said simple things to remember include properly setting your side and rear-view mirrors to give you maximum rear visibility and to use your turn signals before changing lane.
On the expressway, driving experts advise the “three-to-five-second rule,” which is measured by how long it takes for you to pass a stationary object that the vehicle in front of you has passed.
And don’t forget, the left-most lane is only used for overtaking. So if you’re just driving along, stay out of that lane.
3. Plan your route.
With the advent of navigation apps, this tip seems unnecessary.
But the systems in those apps are designed to get you to your destination as fast as possible. If you want to take the scenic route, kick it old-school and chart it with a map.
Planning your route can also help you find places you can go to in case of an emergency, such as a gas station or a hospital.
4. Know where you can get help.
And speaking of emergencies, make sure to get the phone numbers of emergency services in the places you’re going to, in case something happens on the road.
It also counts for you to know about campaigns aimed at helping out motorists like you.
One example is Petron’s Lakbay Alalay campaign, which the company has been conducting since 1986. It offers motorists free car-safety checks, free medical assistance, a free 15-minute massage and road-safety activities.
