Safety in the cool season

Many provinces have been hit hard by flooding, so it should come as no surprise that many of the submerged roads are damaged and harmful to users.

The best way to avoid the hazard is by checking routes, particularly highways, before

travelling. Safety should always come first. In addition, the cool season is approaching, and car inspections are always important regardless of the season.

At a minimum, drivers should keep up with proper maintenance, in accordance with the mileage suggested by auto-makers.

Driving cars without proper maintenance has an adverse affect on vehicles. For instance, engines will wear out faster than normal if car owners do not change the lubricants in a timely manner.

In the cool season, drivers should pay attention to lighting, because mist and fog in the morning hours reduce visibility, which might lead to accidents.

Headlights from older-model cars have yellow lights, which can help other cars pass you when driving in mist. It is recommended that those planning to travel to the North during the cool season install yellow-coloured fog lamps.

Many new cars today come with white xenon headlights, which are not ideal for driving through mist, since the white light blends in with it. Drivers should be extremely prudent in driving in clouds of mist.

Switching on the emergency lights is not recommended, because it could confuse other motorists on the road. Nevertheless, this is a common practice in Thailand, but one that is usually understood by local motorists.

Unfortunately, some car owners who use xenon headlights usually change the bulbs of the rear lights to xenon bulbs, as well. This means that even with the emergency lights engaged, the white light emanating from the rear becomes swallowed in the mist.

So if you plan to travel upcountry during the year-end period, try to change the emergency-light bulbs back to the original yellow colour.

Padoongkiat Rabiebaoth, a private-sector employee, said he always gave a special inspection to his headlights before he drove to his hometown in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.

He said clouds of mist were common on the way down there during the cool season, and visibility would be limited if the headlights provided insufficient lighting.

He believes it to be quite dangerous for new cars or for drivers who like to switch to white xenon bulbs during the cool season.

Fog lamps should be added for safety, he said.

"Last cool season, my colleague drove to the North, and his car fell into a big hole. One of the car's mag wheels was broken, and it cost almost Bt10,000, all because he had xenon light bulbs that could not be removed from the mist lights. Luckily, he was able to file a claim with his insurance company, and it was not a severe accident," he said.

Thanadol Rila

The Nation

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