Road Trip Safety Tips

Road trips are a great way to travel. They give you more freedom to explore the off the beaten track and do things your own way. Of course, when you embark on a road trip, you are typically spending more time on the road than you otherwise would, and that means there is a greater risk to your safety.

It’s shocking but there are around 6 million car accidents in the US every year and a staggering 2,500 fatalities occur each year from sideswipe collisions alone. You shouldn’t let this put you off, rather you should take every precaution to ensure your road trip travels are as safe as they can be. Taking a good defensive driving class like defensive driving Texas is a good way to learn to protect yourself more while behind the wheel as well. Here are a few things you can do to help you with that…

Always buckle up

It should go without saying that you’re far safer on the road with your seat belt than you are without it. In fact, you can cut your risk of injury or death by as much as 50 percent, so ensure that you and your passengers are always fully belted up. Learn more about road safety in the US, make sure to visit Trevino Law.

Have your car checked out

Having a mechanic check out your car before you head off on a road trip is imminently sensible. If you know that the oil, brakes, and tires are in good condition, it’ll give you more confidence and lower your road accident risks significantly.

Accidents

Unfortunately, we can’t always be sure that if we do have an accident, we will be near enough to home to call any of our friends and family to help. Hopefully, if this is the case, you have your mobile phone available. Simply typing in an auto accident lawyer near me to a search engine like Google will help. 

It is essential you try not to panic, if possible, take photos of the cars in the surrounding area and remain calm. Don’t admit fault until you have discussed it with a lawyer.

Let someone know your itinerary

It’s always a good idea to let someone, who won’t be going on the trip with you, know which locations you plan to hit on which days and where you will be staying when you get there. That way, if something goes wrong, they can more easily track you down or alert the proper authorities. Of course, one of the best things about road trips is spontaneity, and plans can easily change – if that happens, drop them a text or email to let them know what’s going on because you don’t want to just drop off the face of the earth.

Rest regularly

There are few things more dangerous than driving drowsy. In fact, there are over 1,500 deaths caused by fatigued drivers each year. That’s why you’re going to want to plan your rest stops and book your motels in advance, taking into account time on the road, so that you never go more than a couple of hours without a break of some kind and you always get a good night’s sleep.

Don’t drink too much

Enjoying a beer or two when you’re done driving for the night is fine, but don’t overdo it because it can take quite a while for alcohol to fully leave your system and even if you feel safe to drive, your reactions may still be impaired. If you do drink a little too much one night, get one of your road trip buddies to handle the driving the next day or delay the next leg of your journey for a while.

Have a sage road trip and be sure to check out those amazing roadside attractions.