Aiming at driver safety on highways during winter and low temperatures, the EPR Iguaçu and Federal Highway Police (PRF) warn about precautions and preventive measures. The concessionaire operates on BR-277, in the Foz do Iguaçu and Três Fronteiras region.
Winter officially began on June 20, with three months to go. Drivers should take preventive measures with their vehicles and be careful on the road, especially during times of the season when visibility is compromised.
Highway safety in winter
Among the recommendations, it is worth noting that the condition of tires and brakes is checked frequently, as well as paying more attention while driving. Drivers must respect traffic signs and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front.
In addition, it is necessary to use low beam headlights or fog lights. On the highway, drivers should “avoid overtaking, sudden braking and sudden lane changes,” emphasizes EPR Iguaçu Operations Manager Everaldo Ruaro.
Poor visibility on the highway
In situations where visibility is poor or compromised due to dense fog or torrential rain, it is recommended that the user seeks a service station and stops. Alternatively, look for a safe place away from the highway, signal with the hazard lights and wait for the adverse conditions to pass.
“Contrary to what many drivers believe, turning on the hazard lights while the car is moving, or even stopping on the shoulder, when there is fog, is not a safety measure”, says PRF Edir Veroneze.
This practice, he explains, can even cause the vehicle behind to brake suddenly and cause a collision. “It is also important to prevent the windows from fogging up, which would impede visibility. To do this, the driver can turn on the vehicle’s ventilation or air conditioning, or even open the windows,” he emphasizes.
Distance between vehicles
The Federal Highway Police also reinforces the ideal distance that drivers should maintain from the vehicle in front, which should be measured in seconds and not in meters. The ideal distance in normal weather conditions is two seconds. This time should double in foggy conditions — four seconds.
Holiday without fatal accidents
The special operation carried out by the EPR concessionaire during the Corpus Christi holiday, from June 18 to 22, ended with 35 accidents recorded, none of which resulted in fatalities. During the five days of operation, 341 mechanical assistance services and 181 vehicle towing operations were carried out.
(With information from EPR Iguaçu)
