Tips to Increase Your Road Trip Safety
Planning a road trip with family of friends? Are you sure you know what you need to in order to maximize the road trip safety?
- Get your car ready
If you ask us, this is probably the most important thing to do if you are looking for a safe, uninterrupted journey. What can do to make sure your car is fit and ready to make the trip? First of all, your car should be full on gas. Get a thorough inspection and this covers the condition of tires, brake fluid, windshield wiper fluid, air conditioner, hazard lights and battery. Take your car to a professional who will ensure your car is in good working order to take a long road trip.
While you are on road, keep an eye on gas meter. You don’t want to be stranded on a lonely road in the dark with an empty tank. Make it a rule to get a gas refill the moment it gets down to 1/4th full. You should always have plenty of gas. Period!
- Travel with an emergency kit in your car
It is important that keep an emergency kit handy in your car before you head off to your destination. Your kit can have items like spare phone charger, flashlight, jumper cables, warm blankets and drinking water. Make sure you have all the tools you might need to change a flat tire. Don’t forget to include a first aid kit complete with pain relivers, over the counter drugs to treat fever, band-aids, alcohol swabs, anti-allergics and other things you might need in your road trip.
- Be alert
It is important that you remain focused on the road.
- One of the most dangerous thing is to text or make calls while you are driving. If there is an emergency call or text that can’t wait, pull over to a safe spot to make a call. If it is dark, don’t make the mistake of stopping your car.
- Make sure you have had a good night’s sleep before you start. Statistics say that lack of sleep is one of the most contributing factors leading to road accidents.
- Switch drivers every two hours and if you are the only driver make sure you take regular breaks. Get out of your car to stretch your legs for healthy blood circulation. Put on your favorite music and hum along while you drive.
- Don’t take heavy meals as they tend to make you sleepy.
- Keep drinking water regularly. It will help you stay hydrated and energetic. Be prepared to stop for washroom trips but this will again help you take a much-needed sojourn on a long trip.
- Never drink and drive. Even small amount of alcohol can be detrimental to road trip safety.
- Drive in a right position to avoid that driving trance.
- Be cautious of your surroundings
Don’t get down to help out a stranger. It could be a fraudster pretending to seek help. Be very cautious of tailgaters or aggressive drivers. Don’t pull over when it is dark, unless it is an emergency you can’t avoid.
- Activate child safety locks
Children by nature are curious and impatient. And when you are taking your kids on a long trip, it is likely they get all restless and fidgety and reach out to play with door locks and window locks. In fact, whether you are going for a short or long road trip, make sure you activate the child safety locks every time you have kids in the backseat. Also make sure there is no loose change or any harmful, toxic substance lying in the back seat that your little one can touch or swallow.