Staying safe on Southland freeways

Early on, Labor Day weekend 2016 was logged as a dangerous one on Coachella Valley roadways following two deadly crashes.

“Just coming this way I saw an accident where a car overturned and backed up traffic,” said Jesse Erda who was traveling back from a weekend in Mesa, Arizona.

He says he always takes his car to be checked out before a long drive.

“Always go take it to have it serviced, maintenanced and all that,” he said. “Make sure the oil is good. Tires are good.”

Same goes for Len and Jean Eckhardt who traveled nearly three hours from Long Beach Monday afternoon.

“You want to make sure the car is healthy,” Jean said. “You want to make sure that it’s capable of driving this far, or in this heat, or whatever the conditions may be.”

Not having the car checked out could lead to a drastic outcome, especially in the Valley, where the average daily temperature for September is above 100 degrees.

“This summer we have had approximately four cars that have been driven until they wouldn’t drive anymore,” said Pete Valdez, who owns Pete’s Automotive in Thousand Palms. “The problem was overheating and today’s cars do not hold up very well when it comes to overheating.”

Valdez saaid drivers should do a thorough check of their vehicle before hitting the road. This includes tire pressure and tread and engine oil and belts. He also says travelers need to pay attention to the subtle warning signs their vehicles give them.

“When you notice something when you’re driving the car that’s, ‘Wow, that didn’t seem right,’ the first thing you should do is look at your gauges and make sure everything is within range,” he said.

If you’re not very engine-savvy, you can take your vehicle to any local automotive shop and they can do the inspection for you at a cost.

A road trip usually means long hours behind the wheel, so be sure to pack plenty of water, snacks, and charging cords for iPhones and tablets.