Safety Tips When Planning A Road Trip
Safety on a road trip depends on many factors, but one of the biggest ones is the plan you form ahead of time. These tips will help you to plan a trip that is both safe and fun.
Make Sure You Have Adequate Insurance
Before you go on a big road trip is the perfect time to reconsider your auto insurance coverage. If you're only covered for the minimum amount, consider bumping up the insurance package to include better collision coverage and roadside assistance. Sometimes you can get additional coverage without increasing your auto insurance bill by switching insurers ahead of your road trip.
Plan Carefully to Avoid Nighttime Drives
If you have to drive at dusk or nighttime, this can significantly increase your chance of an accident due to low visibility driving. It takes a bit of planning to avoid nighttime drives. For one, it helps to be conservative when estimating how far you can drive in a given day. Road conditions, unplanned stops, and simple enjoyment of your trip can all cause you to take more time than you anticipated while planning.
Know Your Route (And Alternatives)
Even in the days of smartphone mapping services, it pays to map out your route ahead of time and become familiar with the highways you'll be taking. It can make you less reliant on the app to give you directions, which will decrease your distractions while you're on the road. It can also help you to make sure there are alternative roads to take on your route in case the main road has any road hazards.
Give Your Driver a Break
Taking regular breaks from driving is important for keeping your eyes fresh. If you have several drivers on the road trip, schedule regular switches to make sure that the burden of driving is shared equally. If there's only a single driver, factor in more breaks every few hours and give yourself a more reasonable distance goal each day.
Splurge on the Comfort
Sleeping in the car can be attractive to young road trippers who are trying to save money. But a word of advice is to splurge on a comfortable place to rest your head. If your sleep is uncomfortable and you're interrupted by lights or noise all night, you won't get the rest you need to be recharged and ready to be an alert driver the next day. Taking steps to improve your safety may cost a bit extra, but it can save you a lot in terms of reducing your road trip risk.
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