Philadelphia has a lot to offer. That’s true at any time of the year, but especially in the summer. With the hot weather coming, you might visit the city and check out a Phillies game or brag yourself a cheesesteak at Geno’s.
However, you should also stay safe while driving on city roads in the City of Brotherly Love. You probably know about the severity of head-on car accidents or T-bone car wrecks, but even sideswipe and fender benders can cause serious injuries.
With that in mind, let’s talk about summer driving tips for individuals living in Philadelphia and those who have this city in mind as a destination spot.
Exercise Caution When Sporting Events Happen
Philadelphia loves its sports. During the summer, the 76ers have their offseason, as do the Eagles. You can find baseball going strong, though, as the Phillies vie for supremacy in the challenging National League East.
When there’s a sporting event going on, stay safe on the roads. If you’re anyone near the venue, you should know you’ll likely run into sports fans decked out in the team’s colors walking in the streets as well as on the sidewalks.
Some might seem inebriated, and that’s probably the case. Phillies fans don’t think twice about having some pregame beverages before a night game or even an afternoon game, in some cases.
These fans should know about staying out of the road and crossing only in crosswalks, but that does not guarantee they’ll do it. Drive slower than normal near the venue or when you know you’re in an area with many bars. Driving fast makes an accident more likely while slowing down means you’ll probably get where you’re going while avoiding potentially tragic accidents.
Drive Slowly on Busy Streets
You can also slow down in busy sections of the city, even when there’s no sporting event happening nearby. You might visit South Street or the surrounding areas. There, you will see locals and tourists mixing it up in and around the bars and restaurants. You will also notice cyclists, joggers, mothers pushing strollers, and all manner of others enjoying the nice weather.
If you drive a little slower in these areas, that’s always a wise idea. You might get where you’re going a bit slower than you otherwise would, but you’re keeping yourself and your passengers safe, as well as the drivers and pedestrians around you.
Make Sure You Use Your Turn Signals
You should also make sure to use your turn signals every time you’re changing lanes or turning from one Philly street onto another. That’s true in the inner city with its narrow streets, as well as in the suburbs and on the highways in and around the city.
It might surprise you when you see how many people don’t use their turn signals. Some feel that they’re optional, and they might use them only infrequently or not at all.
If the police see someone change lanes or go around a corner without signaling first, they will probably ticket them. However, there’s not always a police officer around.
Whether you see cops or not, if you signal every time you’re changing lanes or making a turn, that’s a smart policy that can save lives and prevent accidents. Remember that when you signal a lane change, it lets the cars around you know your intentions. If you change lanes or take a sharp turn without signaling, that can cause an accident with a car near you, a cyclist, or a pedestrian.
Stay Off the Road if You’ve Imbibed Any Alcohol
You should also stay off the road if you have indulged in any alcohol while staying in Philly. You will find many great bars and watering holes, or perhaps you’ll have a couple of beers with your lunch. If so, that’s fine, provided you’re of legal age. That means you should get an Uber or designate a driver, though.
You might feel like you’re a skilled driver, and you can get where you’re going with no issues if you’ve had just a couple of drinks. You might also think that you’ve had some alcohol, but you’re probably under the legal limit.
It’s true that if you have just one drink, you’re probably not legally intoxicated. However, it’s usually best to simply avoid driving if you’ve ingested any alcohol at all. That way, you can feel sure you won’t get a DUI if you cause an accident and the police give you a breathalyzer at the scene.
You should also never drive if you use any other kinds of drugs. That includes marijuana or any other recreational substances, but you should watch out for legal drugs that can cause dizziness or sleepiness as well.
Some high blood pressure medications can impact you this way, for instance. If you’re on any prescribed meds, know what they’ll do. If you feel they could affect your driving ability, have someone else handle the driving duties if you’ve ingested them.
Watch Out at Intersections
You should also watch out when you’re approaching intersections on Philly streets. Car accidents can certainly happen anywhere and at any time, but they occur at intersections the most frequently.
That’s because, at intersections, you often have cars coming from multiple directions. You might have a driver who feels they can make it through a yellow light just before it turns red. If they don’t make it, and a driver coming from another direction guns the motor and ventures into the intersection before they see them, that can cause a T-bone collision.
Watch out for cyclists and pedestrians in intersections as well. Know that if they have the light in their favor, and they’re in a crosswalk, you must wait till they’ve crossed before going. They have the right of way, and you must always defer to another car, driver, or cyclist who does.
By following these tips, you should have a great time while visiting Philly.
Jessica has a flair for writing engaging blogs and articles. She enjoys reading and learning new things which enables her to write different topics and fields with ease. She also strives to break down complex concepts and make them easy for anybody to comprehend.
