It is not just the storm Pia that can cause problems in the Christmas traffic. With slippery road conditions, intense traffic and stress, incorrectly loaded Christmas presents can lead to devastating consequences.
– There are a lot of people out there who don’t normally drive, says Henrik Fallegård at the association NTF, which works for road safety.
There have been several traffic accidents around the country during the day. Several weather warnings are issued in connection with the storm Pia hitting.
The National Association for the Promotion of Traffic Safety (NFT) urges road users to think before hitting the roads.
– If you are stressed about keeping appointments, the packing may come second, which means that you pack the car completely wrong, says Henrik Fallegård.
A package that weighs a few kilos can, as you know, have a significantly greater gravity at high speeds. Therefore, the advice is not to put any loose packages in the car. Likewise, poorly loaded Christmas presents can pose a danger to pets.
– They can easily get crushed if you don’t have a protective barrier against the packages, make sure to protect your pets.
Advice: Check the maximum load
Henrik Fallegård also reminds us to check the car’s maximum load, especially if you are a large family.
– If you are 50 to 60 kilos over the maximum load in combination with slippery surfaces, this means that you can get a completely wrong skew distribution during the braking itself, which can cause you to completely lose control.
The general advice for Christmas commuters is to plan their journey, and take it easy.
– It is the constant stress that can cause it. Never have an end time when you go. Try to pack the day before, then take it the last day you go, says Henrik Fallegård.