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| The portrait of the mechanical engineering lecturer of UMM who shares tips to ensure the safety of cars for homecoming activities. (Photo: Istimewa) |
Ahead of the long Eid holidays, the homecoming tradition has been the most awaited agenda of the year. On this holiday momentum, transportation mobility out of town is more crowded than on regular days. Also, it does not rule out the possibility of an accident during the homecoming activities.
In response, Alvian Iqbal Hanif Nasrullah, M.T., the Mechanical Engineering lecturer at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang, shares tips for a safe homecoming trip, primarily related to safety and comfort in driving long distances.
The man known as Alvian says that before embarking on the trip, travelers must be comprehensively and thoroughly prepared, which consists of two physical aspects. The first thing is from the human condition — including the driver — while the second is related to the vehicle condition.
“The physical conditions of the driver and the car, with its elements inside, connect each other and are inseparable. It’s useless if the car is performing well, but its driver isn’t fit to drive, and so is vice versa,” says he.
Furthermore, Alvian explains that several car components must be checked before traveling long distances. The first is the conditions of the tire, which must be ensured that they are still in prime condition and not skidded.
“Besides them, the air pressure must also be ideal. It is usually in the range of 30-40 psi for car tires,” he adds.
Other technical aspects that need to be considered are engine components, such as the cooling system, refueling system, and cylinder block parts. According to the mechanical engineering lecturer, long mileage often causes the engine to overheat. Thus, the radiator and cooling fan must also be checked and rechecked.
“The step to maintain the car condition is regular engine oil changes and full service at the repair shop. Since the existing engine is quite complex, then routine service is absolutely done. Not only before homecoming or long trips,” says Alvian.
Another tip is to adjust the being transported load with the vehicle's maximum capacity. In vehicle terms, it is known as “over-dimension and overloads (ODOL).”
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If the load carried by the car surpasses the maximum capacity, it will be very risky to cause unwanted things to happen,” as he orders.
Lastly, the lecturer, specializing in vehicle crashworthiness tests, explains that most accident cases occur due to technical aspects of transportation. Hence, it’s necessary to pay attention to the performance of the vehicle owned.
“Know the vehicle that will be operated for homecoming activity or traveling on Eid moments later because each has its own specifications. Make sure everything is ready and in good condition so that the trip is always safe,” he concludes. (imh/*/lib/wil)
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