To keep yourself and your family and friends safe during a road trip should be a top priority. While trips in the car can be memorable, they can also present hazards. So, let’s check to make sure you are ready to pull out of the driveway.

4 Steps to Road Trip Safety

1. Vehicle inspections

While you might trust your old car to get you from point A to point B on an average day, can you trust it to transport you safely to a destination six hours away?

That’s the question. And to make sure that the answer is yes, it’s essential to have your vehicle inspected before setting out.

Before you leave, have a professional check your oil and coolant levels, topping up your vehicle as necessary.

Have your brakes and engine checked, and make sure that your lights, door locks, and various dashboard signals are in working order- select the link to learn more.

2. Emergency kits

An emergency kit is always good to have on hand, but it’s become crucial when you’re making the trip to a far-off destination. Why? Because accidents happen.

There’s no shortage of things that could happen while you’re on the road.

Your car could break down, you could get injured and require minor DIY medical care, or you could have to pull over for some rest and need supplies from your emergency kit to keep warm and cozy.

In case you get stuck in your car for a long time or must spend the night in your car, you should have a first aid kit with you.

You should also have non-perishable food, water, a blanket, extra socks, a flashlight, a spare cellphone charger, tools for basic vehicle repairs like tire changes, as well as any other things you might need.

If you regularly take medication, it’s a good idea to keep some in your vehicle, if you’re able.

3. Route planning

Before you head out, have an intended route set in place and notify someone of it.

Pinpoint the highways you’re going to use, what planned stops you’re going to make, where you’re going to stay if you stop along the way for the night, and which alternative routes you may need to take due to unforeseen circumstances such as road closures or vehicle accidents. The RoadTrippers App can help you easily plan routes on your phone.

Share this information with a loved one or friend. Should something happen along the way, it’s easier for police and emergency services to track your whereabouts. 

If you want to go the extra mile, you could also note areas that you know are going to be out of cellphone range. However, this can be very hard to do, so don’t sweat it too much if you’re unable to find this information. 

4. Rest

It goes without saying that rest is crucial to the success and safety of any road trip. We want to remind you that rest should be part of your road trip itinerary.

Before you start your trip, make sure that you’ve gone to bed early and gotten plenty of sleep. Try to aim for eight hours when you know you have more than a few hours of driving ahead of you.

It’s also a great idea to make time to stop and rest during the journey. In general, it’s recommended to pull over and take a break for 15 minutes every two hours.

Get out and stretch, have a snack, or have a little power nap if you’re feeling tired and unfocused.

If you’re traveling with others, take turns driving. This ensures that no one person gets too tired.

Road trip safety comes down to planning and care, and by using the steps above, you can make the journey as safe as possible. Follow this link to learn more travel tips from us.

Photo by [ROMAN ODINTSOV]