Safe Summer Travel
Like many highways around the nation, the SH 130 toll road experiences peak traffic during the summer months as thousands of families heading to the Texas Coast join commuters, commercial truck drivers and other regular users driving between Austin and San Antonio.
SH 130 remains congestion-free even during these busy months, but the extra traffic combined with our ongoing roadway reconstruction project creates the need for extra vigilance among drivers when it comes to highway safety.
Federal highway crash data shows that July, August and September were the deadliest months on U.S. roadways every year from 2005 to 2014 except for one.
The increase in traffic fatalities is attributed to a variety of factors including:
- More drivers on the road
- An increase in drinking and driving, especially during holiday weekends
- More drivers traveling unfamiliar roads during peak vacation season
- An uptick in road construction during the summer months
Safety is a top priority for SH 130 Concession Co., and we are asking all of our customers to do their part to keep the roadway safe this summer.
Avoid Distractions — Accidents caused by distracted driving kill about nine people and injure more than 1,000 each day in the United States. Taking your eyes off the road for two seconds to check your phone or play with the radio doubles the risk of a crash. Please help keep SH 130 safe by keeping your eyes and mind on the road.
Don’t Drink and Drive — Drunk driving accounted for 28 percent of all driving fatalities in 2016 according to the Insurance Information Institute. If you plan to drive, don’t drink. If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver or alternative form of transportation.
Observe Reduced Speeds in Work Zones — SH 130 is a high-speed roadway, but we have lowered the speed limit in construction zones from 85 mph to 65 mph in order to protect drivers and workers. Please be vigilante and follow instructions to slow down, especially when workers are present.
Check Your Vehicle Before Leaving —A well-maintained vehicle is less likely to break down and leave you stranded on a hot roadside. Tire blowouts are more likely to happen in high temperatures so be sure to check that there is proper air pressure in all tires including the spare. Also make sure that your wiper blades are functioning properly and look for signs of wear on break pads and lining.
Pack a Roadside Safety Kit — Jumper cables, a flashlight, tire changing/repair equipment and safety flares are all good things to have in the event of a breakdown, as is extra water.
Finally, we want to remind our customers that our Roadside Assistance Program is available to help drivers with flat tires, dead batteries or empty gas tanks get back on the road again. For roadside assistance call 1-877-741-3089. While we can’t help with car repairs, we can arrange towing.
We’re proud of our safety record and will continue doing all that we can to foster the safest driving conditions possible. We hope that you will help us by doing your part to ensure that you arrive safely this summer.
