Most people would agree that the gorgeous summer season is best spent outdoors and on the road, exploring new places, or maybe visiting long distance friends and family. Before embarking on your trip, there are a few defensive driving precautions to keep in mind to stay safe while making the most out of your road trip.
Staying safe should always be our main focus on the road. At Comedy Defense Driving, we’re happy to share some summer road trip tips and must-haves to keep your road trip fun, exciting, and safe. Allow us to include some essential food-for-thought on this year’s summer road trip checklist:
✓ Always Plan Ahead — Everyone who begins a road trip knows their destination, but do you have a thorough understanding of your route? Being aware of potential road obstacles like construction or heavy traffic areas can not only help save you time, but can keep you safe from high-risk areas. A fun benefit to understanding the route prior to departure is being able to plan fun stops along the way. This can help you keep refreshed, while also getting to visit some exciting spots in between.
✓ Perform a Maintenance Check — In most cases, a road trip is quite demanding to a vehicle. No matter the amount of distance you plan to travel, it is always a smart idea to do some basic maintenance check-ups on your car. You definitely don’t want to learn the importance of this procedure the hard way by breaking down unexpectedly or creating other safety risks while on the road. Save yourself the money and time wasted in backtracking or car maintenance and perform a simple check-up before hitting the long road.
✓ Allow Yourself Cushion Time — Drivers who take on the road for more than eight hours nearly double their risk of crashing, compared to drivers who have been on the road for more than two hours. An easy way to avoid drowsy driving is to break up your travel time by making plenty of stops. This will allow you to refresh your road energy by stretching, using the restroom, getting some fresh air, etc. Alternating drivers if travelling by group is also a solution to cut break time if you are anxious to get there fast. However, it is absolutely crucial to remember:
✓ Sleep Is Essential — We know you don’t want to sleep your vacation days away. Yet, on the other hand, do you want to waste your road experience in a sleep deprived zombie-like state only to endanger yourself and others on the road? Although it will take some road time away from your trip, sleep is the most valuable safety precaution you have in long distance travelling. Try to give yourself about eight hours of sleep a night, or, alternately, avoid driving on less than five hours of sleep.
✓ Sharpen Your Driving — Driving long-distance means driving safe long-distance. Taking on a long stretch of road requires you to stay alert and safe at all times. Refresh your driving skills by taking on a fun defensive driving class or driving course. These classes are smart ways to remain enlightened on road, giving your more control and safety while on your road trip.