A Few Safety Tips to Consider Before Driving Long Distance
Road trips are fun! Most of us love them. All the packing of the clothes and excitement to head to your destination, perhaps a beach vacation or into the countryside. The choices are endless and so are the routes and roads as well as so many spectacular places around the world that one can go on vacation with your friends or with your family.
There is however one very important thing to consider weeks before you have done your packing and are throwing your luggage in the back seat of the car. This one thing can help or hinder a good holiday, and something that must be a top priority on your list of to-dos. Safety.
That’s right – safety is one thing that is of vital importance to any journey whether it is a short distance one or a long-distance one. Doing the proper checks, having the right equipment and tools will make a huge difference to the entirety of the trip. Therefore, we’ve put together this piece of literature just for you to read through before you step outside and start your road trip, to make sure your well taken care of and your passengers enjoy the entire journey too.
With the way things have been in the world-wide situation over the past couple of months, people are now looking to get out of their houses and spend some much-needed time in nature or outdoors under the sun and the stars. There are numerous blogs and online sources for you to look at for a start.
Some countries have lifted their ban and as such, people have taken full advantage of this and there is now an influx of tourists and travelers visiting all sorts of open places and holiday destinations for camping, beach vacations, countryside cottage get-away, weekend trips, fishing trips, you name it, and with this high-demand, it is recommended to be on top of your game, more now than.
Things to Consider Before the Start of Your Journey
Don’t Compromise on Sleep
The night before, it is always advisable not to do too much or too many activities that will render you tired or sleepy the next day. There is nothing worse than driving whilst half-asleep, you can put your life and the life of others in danger.
Make sure you plan, and get enough proper rest, all drivers on the trip must do the same. Start early with the packing and planning the day before, assuming that majority of your luggage has been packed and the only things remaining are the essentials that you are taking with you inside the car, which you will use on the road such as water bottles, snacks, towels, sun hats, and sunscreen, music for the road a book to read, an eye mask to possibly take a nap, games, and whatever is the preference.
Checking for aspects such as the weather beforehand will also save you a lot of trouble before time. driving while its raining isn’t always the best idea, wait till it clears up and then hit the road. For some added safety tips, have a reliable person number on hand and keep in check with you throughout your journey, i.e. let them know every time you stop, pop them a quick message just so that they know where your at every step of the way in case something goes wrong of you to have a flat tire or break down.
The other most important thing is to check that you have filled up the fuel in the vehicle the day before, and don’t drive it anywhere. You should also have an extra jerry can or two with extra petrol safely stored in the boot of your car away from arms reach of any kids, along with the fully working spare wheel in its designated spot. Make sure the petrol canister is closed properly and if you have children do be sue to tell them not to go anywhere near them whilst playing in the car.
Fatigue or sleep deprivation on an open road can be a dangerous thing not just for you and your passengers but also for those around you on the road. It can lead to an array of negative side-effects such as impairing your coordination and judgment, slower reaction times, hindering your memory and ability to keep any information in your mind, useful content can be found on various online resources.
Take A Break and Stretch Your Legs
It is true that if your sitting for long periods, your legs can either get cramps or seize to work, the best thing you can do to remedy this is to stretch them. When your driving it is the same thing, and one should take a break at least every 2 hours or 200 km, and get out of the car and stretch your legs, drink some water, hydrate yourself and just clear your head.
Therefore, most states or counties have truck stops after every couple of hundred kilometers, because truck drivers get fatigued and easily tired, especially during summer, and these truck stops have designated areas for them to park their trucks and rest for a while. To either get out of their truck and get something to drink from the coffee shops or restaurants that usually accompany these sites or use the bathroom to splash their face with cold water to wake themselves up and feel a bit more refreshed.
These stops are also family-friendly and specifically chosen spots for people who are on long road trips, some even have children’s playing grounds for them to get out of the car and do something active. Replenish your resources, refuel, grab a coffee, and once you feel awake and revived again then only hit the road and continue your trip. If your tired, rest, take a nap in the car if you must. don’t take any chances during this period of your travels.
Leave Early to Save Time
A lot of people think it best to sleep in on the day off and leave in the afternoon leisurely. However, depending on where you going and how long you will be driving for, it is always best to leave early in the morning so that you have daylight to drive in, as opposed to leaving later in the afternoon and having to drive at night sometimes on pitch-dark roads.
Besides, also for your safety and security, it is always recommended to allow yourself ample time to get to your destination so that you don’t need to rush. For vacays that require bookings in advance a lot of travelers think that if they get there as quickly as possible, they won’t be wasting any time.
As much as this is true and it is, of course, best to make the most of your days at the holiday destination, leaving early will ensure you get there before or on time in a leisurely capacity as opposed to rushing and having to speed which could delay you if you are caught driving over the speed limit and fined for it, which has other repercussions on its own as well. Plus, speeding endangers those around you as well. Save yourself the trouble of speeding tickets, fender benders, and haphazard driving by leaving at a decently early hour of the morning and enjoying everything is a calm and collected manner.
Dress Comfortably and Depending on the Weather
If you going on a summer break, dress with light and airy clothes that are loose-fitting, densely woven clothes like denim, canvas, synthetic and woolen fibers with bright or dark colors such as reds, blues and greens have been known to detract sunlight. The skin cancer foundation has some great tips for those looking for ideas on what types of clothes to wear whilst in the sun https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-prevention/sun-protection/sun-protective-clothing/
Sometimes, taking a pillow with you for your back, whilst driving, is also a good idea. Long periods of driving can cause backaches for some people. The more comfortable and alert you are, the better and more enjoyable the trip. Car shops are also equipped with a variety of accessories for car seats that aid in making them more comfortable, inquire about this online or in stores if you must.
Stock Up Just in Case
There is nothing worse than being hungry and thirsty on a long road trip and not being able to stop at any roadside stores to purchase any goods because you haven’t seen one for miles. It can’t be the best experience, especially when everyone is excited about the vacation, and its dampers all moods.
Unless you have already been on that road or trip numerous times before and know how many pit-stops it has and where, if it’s your first time, be safe rather than sorry and pack yourself a good handy bag with supplies for the journey.
Due to the unpredictable nature of some areas, you may take it for granted that there will be places to stop and eat or grab a drink but that isn’t always the case and especially in the US there are some states that have back roads and no civilization for miles on end. Just as we have already advised you to take extra jerry cans of petrol with you on your holiday, much in the same way take some supplies that include healthy and nourishing foods and drinks.
Some suggestions would include fruits, lots of water, try and refrain from fizzy and carbonated drinks as they will make you thirstier and coffee should also be drinking at a minimal capacity. Choose a mix of different things from sweet to salty but try and stick with healthier options rather than junk foods.
Nuts and seed packet mixes, or pure fruit juices and iced teas are also good options. If you can prepare a meal the day before and some home-made snacks and put these in air-tight tins for the car, even better.
The second part of the packing we advise is to make sure you have enough helpful and useful games in case you have children, and come up with games to play with them to keep them entertained and less grumpy about being inside a car for long periods. There is nothing worse than a child crying or getting bored and complaining about it continuously, not only does it distract the other people in the car but it is also a distraction for the driver and that’s not a good headspace to be in.
To avoid all of this be well prepared and do some research for car games to play with your kids, or pack a bag of fun travel games such as checkers take and play anywhere, UNO card game, Grab & Go Board Games for instance and picture books for them to read. If everyone is happy the day will go by much quicker and easier for everyone. Some parents add a hanging cover to the back of the driver or passenger seat and place an iPad inside the pocket, specifically made for this purpose, so the kids can watch cartoons or movies, this has been seen to help quite significantly.
If you wish to take your pets wherever you go, consider this dog car seat cover a must and a treat. It protects your seats from fur, dirt, and scratches. The cover also makes it a comfortable ride for your furry friend with configurations to suit their traveling style. Best of all, the dog car seat cover fits any vehicle. In every drive, you’ve got the important things taken care of and covered.
Having said that, also make sure you have the proper tools to replace a spare wheel in case you get a puncture or low air pressure in some way, things such as a car tire pump, spanner, patch-up kit, can all serve a useful purpose. Additionally, make sure you carry a packed toolbox with you at all times in the car as well, one which has all the necessary items and useful kits such as a swiss army knife. Gadgets that are used for multi-purposes can come in handy at any situation, time or place and use the least amount of space for storage too.
If you’re heading out and about, booking your Corpus Christi party bus and planning a long road trip in the next few days, especially during the summer seasons or public holidays, be sure to check out all of the above tips and keep them in mind, it could mean the difference between having the best time of your life of the worse time. regardless, safety should always come first and you would rather be in the situation where you over-prepared rather than under-preparing or not at all.
