101 Critical Days of Summer: Chapter 3, National Lampoon’s Vacation Published June 13, 2014 By 2nd Bomb Wing Safety office BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- This feature is the third of 16 in the 101 Critical Days of Summer series. The Air Force core values, which define out standards of conduct, i.e., how Airmen behave, also set the environment for how we live and work. As we begin the summer season, taking leave and getting away is one of the first activities on our minds. When you include risk management and safety as part of your summer activities, you will be upholding the standards of conduct and maximizing your chances of having an enjoyable activity. Planning ahead is always a good step to help avoid the many risks that have the potential to ruin your vacation. Your road trip planning should always begin with TRiPS, www.my.af.mil/trips. This is an effective risk management tool to find hidden dangers in your travel plans. It's easy to think, "This won't happen to me," but does anyone plan on a tragedy? During the 2013 Critical Days of Summer period there were seven Airmen killed in vehicle and nine in motorcycle accidents. None planned for this to happen. Regardless of what caused the tragedy, using every risk management tool reduces your odds of being involved in a mishap. -Air Force Summer Motor Vehicle Losses (2013): 18 Fatalities 4 Permanent/Partial disabilities 210 Lost time cases (member lost more than one duty day) Lost work days: 2,020 Total cost, lost days: $5,442,810 -Civilian population risk data: 1.3 million people are killed and 20-50 million are injured in motor vehicle crashes worldwide each year. Of these 25,000 are tourists. Motor vehicle deaths are leading cause of deaths among healthy travelers. The hazards associated with summer driving appear to be fewer than winter driving. This is not the case. Some of the situations that make it dangerous: -More teens on the road -Drivers on vacation add to road congestion -Tire blowouts -Increased road construction -More bicycles and motorcycles on the road -Sun and excess heat Before you can call your plans final, your vehicle should be part of your plans. Take care of any needed maintenance and ensure you have an emergency kit in your car. The kit should include: -First aid kit -Flashlight -Flares and a white flag -Jumper cables -Basic repair tools -A jug of water and paper towels for cleaning up -Nonperishable food, such as granola bars and drinking water -Extra windshield washer fluid -Maps