Driving Drowsy

 

We push ourselves daily, needing to be everywhere and doing everything. Driving drowsy and being mentally fatigued can have harmful effects, not only on your health and safety, but also your quality of life. As a result, late night or early morning driving, exhaustion after work, and not getting enough sleep are just a few of the reasons people drive drowsy.
Remain alert!

Planning Ahead

•  Plan out your trip. Long or short, have a plan to eliminate long days of driving, especially if you’re the only driver.
• Factor in rest times. Plan stops along the way to stretch, walk, or even nap, to recharge for the next segment of your trip.
• Get a good night’s sleep. Even the days before the trip, plan to get extra rest so you’re mind and body are ready for your trip. While on the trip, be sure to get plenty of sleep to prevent driving drowsy in the daytime.
• Pay attention to your internal clock. When are you the sleepiest? The drowsiest times of day are between midnight and 6am and, again, in the earlier part of the afternoon. Try to avoid driving during these times, even though it may seem like a good idea to make good timing.
• Stay away from sedatives and alcohol. These effect your quality of sleep and may prevent alertness for the next day.

While Driving

• Be aware of your body. For instance, watch for signs that you’re becoming sleepy or less alert. Find the nearest exit or rest area and get some rest. It’s definitely better to arrive safely to your destination than push yourself and end up in a wreck or emergency situation.
• “Tricks” don’t always work. Turning up the A/C, changing the radio station, increasing caffeine or energy drink stimulants don’t always work and draw your attention away from the road. Rather, it’s best to get the rest your body needs instead of pushing through.

What You Should Know

A few causes of drowsiness can be sleep deprivation or disorders, medications, time of day, alcohol, and working long hours. According to the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA,  there were “693 deaths from drowsy-driving-related crashes just in 2022.” That’s too many. For more information, check out the NHTSA link above.

Here For You

Enjoy your trip through Wyoming. Be cautious and prepared, but if you find that you need help on Wyoming’s open roads, we are Select Towing and Recovery. Located in Casper, Wyoming and serving the surrounding area with everything from car towing to heavy duty truck winch outs. If you find yourself broken down, call your 24-hour, local towing company at 307-277-0713. We will take care of you.

Can DIY Towing Be A Bad Idea?

 

Can DIY towing be a bad idea? We are always looking to save money and do things quickly.  In our previous blog, we looked at finding your vehicle’s towing capacity. If you’re going to be DIY towing, it’s important to know what your vehicle can safely handle. But, also, let’s look at what can go wrong and why you should call a professional towing company.

What Can Go Wrong

• Vehicle Towing Capacity
  Not knowing the towing capacity can cause severe damage to the vehicle towing. If what you’re towing is too heavy, it can cause strain to the engine and transmission. Also, ruin brakes, tires, and the chassis.
• Improper Towing
  When you don’t know what type of vehicle you’re towing, you can damage both vehicles. For example, AWD vehicles need to be towed on a flatbed. Pull behind towing can ruin the drivetrain, causing costly damage.
• Tow Ropes
  Tow ropes and tow chains are a common way to help a friend, but they aren’t actually for towing. In reality, they’re just for pulling a vehicle out of a ditch. If the vehicles aren’t properly and safely connected, one could come loose, bumper damage could occur, and others traveling behind may not be able to see turn signals or brake lights.
• Driving
  Amateur, DIY towing can be damaging to both vehicles. Not knowing to take corners wide so the towed vehicle doesn’t collide with the sidewalk or a parked car, quick acceleration or deceleration can cause the vehicle towed to damage your vehicle or crash into your bumper.

Why You Should Call A Towing Company

 

Towing companies have trucks that are equipped with specific tools and machinery to meet towing needs. The operators have licenses, certifications, and training to make sure everything is connected, secured, and transported safely. When taking a DIY approach, steps could be missed and safety precautions could be overlooked just to get the vehicle towed quickly or save a bit of money. 

Here For You

Enjoy your trip through Wyoming. Be cautious and prepared, however if you find that you need help on Wyoming’s open roads, we are Select Towing and Recovery. Located in Casper, Wyoming and serving the surrounding area with everything from car towing to heavy duty truck winch outs. If you find yourself broken down, call your 24-hour, local towing company at 307-277-0713. We will take care of you.

Overheating Engines

 

It’s hot out. The sun is bright and temperatures are rising, quickly. This time of year we push our vehicles a lot harder than any other time of the year, causing issues, including overheating engines. Do you know what to do if your car or engine overheats? 

What to Do

• To start, pull over to the side of the road. Use your flashers and stay safe by pulling off of the road.
• Then, turn your engine off for at least 15 minutes. That should give your vehicle plenty of time to cool off so you can assess what steps need taken next.
• The engine should cool and you should be able to see the gauges move back to normal.
• With an overheating engine, do not drive the vehicle. Stay safe and call for a tow.
• Finally, get your vehicle into your preferred mechanic, ASAP.

Most Common Causes of Overheating

• Cooling system leaks
• Poor functioning thermostat or radiator
• Bad water pump
• Cracked or burst hoses
• Worn or broken belts 

Many times your mechanic can replace parts and get your vehicle running, safely, again.

 

Here For You

Enjoy your trip through or around Wyoming. However, be cautious and prepared, but if you find that you need help on Wyoming’s open roads, we are Select Towing and Recovery. Located in Casper, Wyoming and serving the surrounding area with everything from car towing to heavy duty truck winch outs. If you find yourself on the side of the road with an overheated engine or broken down, call your 24-hour, local towing company at 307-277-0713. We will take care of you.

Driving Wyoming’s Open Roads

 

Wyoming is a beautiful state, full of history, animals, mountains, rivers, gorgeous, clear blue skies, and open roads. There are also dangers that come with the vastness of the state and the relatively few towns and sparse population.

Things To Consider While Driving

• Animals
  Be aware of your surroundings while driving Wyoming’s open roads. Animals won’t stop for you. You have to anticipate them. Never get out of your vehicle if there’s an animal or herd blocking your lane. Don’t pull over to pet the cute, fluffy animals. This could result in fines, injury, or even death. No one wants to end up viral on social media because of bad decisions. However, it is best to stay safe in your vehicle, snapping pics or a quick video for proof of that rare Wyoming “traffic jam.”
• Elevation and Weather
  Drink and pack extra water, especially if you’re not used to the elevation. Dehydration can set in, quickly, because of the drier climate and the effect it has on your body. Even in summer, bring a jacket. Higher elevations are naturally cooler than lower elevations and some have been known to get snow even in summer months.
• Wind
  Wyoming is the windiest state of the lower 48; only second to Alaska. Very few of Wyoming’s open roads offer tree-lined scenery, which means few wind breaks. Be prepared for forceful gusts, head winds, shaky semi trailers, and tumbleweed.
• Desolation/Open Roads
  Printed maps, food, water, and fuel are a few very important things to have on hand. As much as Wyoming has beautiful backdrops for nature photography, there are also plenty of areas that have no cell phone service. In addition, fuel stations and grocery stores can be few and far between, so it’s important to fuel up and stock up on food or snacks before you head to the next town. Being prepared can make a setback a little easier to navigate.

Coming to Wyoming

Grab your map and highlighter and step back into simpler times when you travel through Wyoming. Take in the scenery and breathe in the clean air. Slow down a bit and enjoy your time on the open roads in the Cowboy state.

 

Here For You

Enjoy your trip through Wyoming. Be cautious and prepared, but if you find that you need help on Wyoming’s open roads, we are Select Towing and Recovery. Located in Casper, Wyoming and serving the surrounding area with everything from car towing to heavy duty truck winch outs. If you find yourself broken down, call your 24-hour, local towing company at 307-277-0713. We will take care of you.

Road Rules – Local Move Over Laws

Every state has local Move Over laws with their own variations, unique to each state. These are essential to the safety of motorists, emergency responders, and those needing emergency services.

Why are these laws so important?

Essentially, these laws require motorists to slow down and move over any time there is an emergency, maintenance, or construction vehicle on the side of the road. Each of the 50 states has their own laws. Be sure to be aware of your state’s laws for roadside safety, but also to prevent being pulled over. In Wyoming, moving over for those on the side of the road, is not only common courtesy, but is required.  According to the Wyoming Department of Transportation, as of 2018, motorists are required to drive in the farthest lane away from the stopped vehicle. On two-lane roads above 45mph, motorists are required to slow down to 20mph below the posted speed limit. The fine for this can be a hefty $235. Many responders die each year because other motorists aren’t paying attention. According to Emergency Responder Safety Institute, in 2022 alone, 17 law enforcement officers and 11 Fire/EMS responders lost their lives. These numbers could be even higher because there is no official way to track, accurately, the deaths due to lack of following the Move Over laws.

Be Aware and Stay Safe

It is well known that it’s important to be aware of firetrucks, law enforcement, and EMS workers, but tow truck operators are included in our Move Over Laws. Even though their trucks are large, noticeable, and have flashing lights, many times, they are at greater risk. The operators are on the ground, under the vehicle needing a tow, or changing a tire. Frequently, in Wyoming, this takes place on poorly lit highways or completely unlit areas. These are all reasons to pay attention to the road, keep your hands on the wheel, and slow down, when approaching a parked vehicle or an incident that you will need to go around. When doing so, you help make sure that everyone makes it home at the end of the day.

Your Towing Company

We are Select Towing and Recovery. Located in Casper, Wyoming and serving the surrounding area with everything from car towing to heavy duty truck winch outs. If you find yourself broken down, call your 24-hour, local towing company at 307-277-0713. We will take care of you.