With winter on the horizon, more families will begin to plan major cross-country road trips to visit family, friends, or just to enjoy the holiday season. While gearing up and hitting the road can lead to a fun vacation, it’s important to remember crucial general and traffic safety tips so that your trip doesn’t end abruptly due to injury. On average, half a million Americans end up in a winter-related crashes due to weather, poor judgment, and other causes. To ensure you stay safe this road trip season, take the time to plan and prepare for a secure and enjoyable trip.
Pre-Trip Planning: 3 Steps to Follow
Staying safe on the road involves preparing before your road trip even begins. By taking preemptive action, you can address potential issues or concerns before they become a serious problem. Follow each of the below tips to stay secure:
Handle Vehicle Maintenance
No road trip should ever start without a pre-trip inspection having been performed already. If it’s been some time, you might even want to take your vehicle to the dealership to have them tune it up for a mileage check-up. Besides that, top off any fluids that may be low (think oil, brake fluid, windshield wiper fluid, coolant, etc.), inspect your battery level, test your headlights and brake lights, rotate your tires or put on winter tires, and more.
For those with a used car, consider downloading an accident report of the vehicle so you can see if any parts have failed historically. When looking at how to extract key insights from PHP reports, focus on whether there were mechanical breakdown-related accidents. If you are in doubt about what you should check on your vehicle, have a professional conduct a review.
Plan Your Route in Advance
Even if you have followed your intended route a million times before, you should draw it out on a map in case you lose reception out on the road. On top of this, you should also plan on having a backup route in case bad weather or something else ruins your intended route. Also, make note of potential towns you can stop in to rest up rather than deciding to drive through the night when you are tired.
Pack an Emergency Kit
Finally, before hitting the road you should pack an emergency kit to store in the back of your vehicle in case you break down or run out of gas. This kit should include first aid supplies, non-perishable food, flashlights, jumper cables, blankets, and any other necessities you may need to survive.
On-the-Road Safety Tips to Follow
Once you find yourself on the open road the real danger can begin to present itself. For some of you, decades may have passed since you took a driving school course, while for others it may be more recent. Regardless, it’s important to follow some of these safe driving tips to prevent injury while on the road:
- Drive defensively by maintaining a safe following distance of at least three seconds between yourself in the vehicle in front of you
- Watch twelve seconds ahead on the road to spot any potential hazards before they reach you
- Use your turn signals and hand signals if your lights go out
- Never drive distracted by a phone, food, or anything else
- Always choose to stop and rest rather than drive while you are tired
- Monitor weather conditions actively on your road trip and pause the trip if things get dicey
Vehicle Breakdowns: What You Need to Know
Realizing your vehicle is sputtering to a halt is a terrifying experience but, fortunately, actionable tips can help. If you realize something is amiss immediately get your vehicle to the side of the road so that oncoming traffic or those behind you don’t accidentally cause an accident. Turn your hazard lights on right away and call for assistance if you are unsure what the problem is.
Assuming you can troubleshoot the issue yourself, always make sure the roadway is clear and that you are visible before stepping out of your vehicle. For those who need to call a tow truck, be aware that towing a vehicle can cost $2.50-$7.00 per mile depending on the tow company and conditions. If you have AAA or a warranty package that allows for towing then considering using it so that you can save more money for the repair of your vehicle.
Personal Safety Tips for the Road
Not all dangers on a road trip will come while you are behind the wheel. Whether you are on a road trip or going overseas, you always want to stay alert and aware of your surroundings, especially if they are unfamiliar. Try to avoid isolated roadways at night and aim to only pass through familiar cities. When you park your vehicle do your best to avoid leaving things visible that a passerby may want to smash your car window for.
Finally, always have emergency contacts on standby who you can call if something goes wrong. Share your itinerary with your friends and family so that if they don’t hear from you alarm bells will start ringing. This will also give the authorities a jump start by helping them narrow down which part of your road trip route you may be on.
Stay safe on the road this winter season
Getting behind the wheel of a car is a serious responsibility and road trips make the experience that much more dangerous due to the extended time on the road. To avoid becoming part of the group of Americans involved in winter-related crashes, take all of the above tips to heart before and during your trip. Should you find yourself involved in a car accident, contact your insurance company as soon as possible or consult a personal injury lawyer if you believe another driver is to blame for the incident due to negligence.
