It’s a sunny day outside, clouds are passing, birds are chirping, and it’s a weekend, what better day to pack up your things, get your whole gang into your car and go for a fun family road trip?! Although this sounds like an easy trip to plan, the reality of it can be quite harsh if something goes wrong and you aren’t prepared for it. You could be stranded for hours before any assistance comes to pull you out of the jam, till then you will be sitting ducks and your family road trip goes down the drain! But don’t worry, because in this article, we will be teaching you 5 essential road trip tips that will not just pull you out of bad situations but make your trip more enjoyable. Let’s get started!
Get your Car Ready
Before you start stuffing your car with all kinds of snacks, board games, and roadway tent, it’s much more recommended that you check your car and make sure that it’s road-worthy. Check the car coolant because the long drive is going to make your heat up quite a lot. If the coolant and engine oil are overused or too less, then the car isn’t going to drive well, and the engine will break down or it is going to heat up and you will be stranded in the middle of nowhere. Tire pressure, spare tire, and brakes. Before you leave for the road do check up on the air pressure in all four tires and that your spare is in the condition to be replaced in the event one of the tires in use goes flat. Well-oiled and maintained braking system can save in emergencies and dangerous situations so do not compromise on them at all. And lastly, check your headlights, taillights, and windshield vipers. The lights make sure you can spot things ahead of you and the people in the rear can see you driving, while the vipers come in handy when the sky decides to give you a little rain pour.
Get Yourself Ready
Now that your car is good to go, we need to make sure that the drive is also in tip-top shape before the journey begins because the car is only as good as the driver is. The driver needs to make sure that he is well-rested and has completed the sleeping hours his mind and body need to recharge fully so that he can drive attentively, carefully, and for longer hours so any unfortunate incidents can be avoided, and the road trip stays on schedule. It is also important to check that the area you want to visit has cellular connections and emergency services if you or your family ever need it. Checking the weather forecast reports of your route and destination will also help you prepare better for the journey. And most importantly, don’t forget to pack a whole of snacks and goodies, they taste the best on a road trip!
Plan your Route
If you want everything to go your way when you do something, the best way to achieve the optimal results is through planning. The more detailed the plan is, the more accurately you will be able to highlight everything that might happen on the trip and prepare for it accordingly. Using applications like GasBuddy and iExit will help you locate the gas stations and the best, cheapest diners on the route you are going to take which allows you to plan your gas usage and when do you need to stop for a refill for your car and your gang. If the road trip is quite long, professionals recommend that you make a stop every two hours or a 100-miles to allow yourself some rest. It’s good for the passengers but most importantly, good for your body and will make you more alert as a driver.
Get a Smart Dash Cam
Are trying to think of a single accessory that can potentially kill multiple of the problems you might face in your road trip? Then equip your car dashboard with a Dash Cam. Nothing spells safety and security on a long journey better than smart dash cams! No matter which end of the earth you end up in, there will be always global surveillance on your car by a professional company that will be keeping tabs on your entire journey. If you are no longer able to navigate by yourself, you can always get help from the GPS feature of this device and find a way out of your problem. Furthermore, if you happen to find yourself caught up in an unfortunate incident, the automated SOS will alert the nearby emergency services to immediately dispatch help to your live location.
Be Responsible and Drive Safely
All the preparations that you have made, all the planning and buying of new accessories to make your road trip, a safe and fun escape for your family, all will be for naught if don’t drive responsibly in the first place. No Technology can protect you if you drive fast and rashly. So, make sure you drive for the fun and not for the thrill, do not be tempted by the empty road, and keep your speed below the speed limit. The rules are there for a reason because some roads can be quite difficult to navigate when going a little fast. Plus, road trips are best enjoyed when you enjoy the road, the mother nature, and the feeling of being completely free as you drive down the empty road, not when you are going so fast that the speed is filling you up with thrill and stress.
