With the summer starting to register on people’s radars now that the darkest days of winter have receded, New Jersey folks often can’t wait for the snow to melt and to hang up our winter coats for the season. It’s time to start talking about road trips and what you can do to stay safe.
As schools have spring breaks and summer vacations, there are going to be more people traveling than at other times of the year. This can create a risk of crashes, but only if you aren’t prepared for this influx of traffic or the drive you have to complete.
What you should be asking yourself before you go on any trip is what you can do to keep yourself and your passengers safer. Here are four travel tips for long drives that can help you stay safe and reach your destination without getting into a crash.
1. Prepare for the drive with your GPS and printed directions
There is no panic quite like seeing that you don’t know how to get to your destination due to a lack of GPS directions. For example, in some rural areas, the wireless signal can’t reach a GPS system. This leads to missing directions that can end up getting you lost. Printing directions and reading through them ahead of time can help you prepare for the drive and for a loss of signal.
2. Put your passenger in command of the drive
If you are not traveling alone, it’s a good idea to let the person in the passenger seat navigate for you. This person can input addresses into the GPS system or help by checking the news for crashes or weather conditions. Having someone else do this is vital, so that you can continue to focus on the road. If you’re by yourself, pull over to look up information instead of trying to access it while driving.
3. Get enough sleep ahead of the drive
Long drives can be tiresome, and there is a risk of becoming drowsy or falling asleep while driving. The best thing you can do for yourself is sleep as much as possible before the drive and to take regular breaks during the drive. Doing so keeps you more alert and will prevent crashes due to dazing out, daydreaming or falling asleep behind the wheel.
4. Perform good maintenance on your vehicle
Finally, make sure your vehicle is in good condition before you go. Refill fluids, fill up the gas tank and check the tires. You want to know it won’t have mechanical problems on the drive.
These are four tips to help keep you safer during your next drive.