There’s nothing like a nice long road trip to a destination that you’ve never visited to break up the monotony of daily life. But in order to get to your destination safely, there are a few things that you need to be aware of.
Traveling the roads in 2022 presents more challenges than what the average American has seen in recent decades. And this has a lot to do with the number of devices that cause motorists to become distracted on America’s roadways. In addition, truck drivers also present a threat if you’re not paying attention to these 80,000 pound behemoths.
No matter if you’re taking an extended holiday trip, or if you’re just cruising through the countryside of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, staying safe on the road is one thing that you definitely need to focus on.
In the following, we’ll present a few ways that you can ensure that you’ll make it to your vacation destination safely.
Plan Ahead for Your Trip
Though it can be both fun and exciting to just hop in the car and go to where your intuition guides you, taking a proactive approach and methodically planning out your trip can be one of your best assets for keeping safe while out on the road.
For example, if you’re planning on traveling over a long distance, you should keep in mind that inclement weather and road construction may cause you a delay. As such, it’s always a good idea to plan ahead for your trip by selecting an alternate route.
Additionally, you’ll also want to pre-select lodging or campgrounds (depending on your preference and itinerary) along all of your selected routes. Further, making sure you make reservations for lodging ahead of time will prevent you from having to hunt around town for an adequate motel or resort once you make it to your destination.
Road Safety Tips
While on the road, and though you might be mesmerized by the passing scenery while you jam along to your stereo, you still have to keep safety in mind. And this is especially true on major thoroughfares such as Interstates and highways where truck drivers are trying to make up time and could be driving dangerously.
Most of the safety tips you’ll want to follow were taught to you when you first received your driver’s license. But a refresher never hurts either.
Some essential safety rules to follow include:
- Don’t follow too closely
- Activate turn signals for every lane change
- Slow down to every stop
- Alert other drivers if your signals malfunction using hand-signals
- Drive defensively
- Check all mirrors and points of travel prior to turning into traffic
Additionally, you’ll also want to exercise caution and sound judgment while driving. Basically, don’t drive down “interesting” roads just for fun, especially if a road is posted as out of service, or if the road is marked as unpaved.
And finally, never pick up hitchhikers, as this is unsafe and hitchhiking is illegal in most states across the country.
Personal Safety
Unfortunately, along our country’s roads there are many people traveling who don’t have the best intentions in mind. And though the likelihood of being involved in a violent encounter might seem minimal, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
For anyone taking a long road trip, and especially if you’ll be staying in a campground, taking along items for personal self-defense is highly recommended. However, if you choose to bring along any sort of weapon, you’ll want to ensure that you’re doing so in accord with the local laws of all areas that you’ll be traveling through.
For example, you can consult a firearm travel guide to see which states allow you to carry your firearm within your vehicle. Additionally, there may be some states where this is prohibited, or severely regulated. In fact, some states only allow travel with an unloaded firearm placed in a secure location away from the driver’s reach, such as in the trunk or in a locked gun safe.
Other methods of defense you may consider are pepper spray, tasers, and the like. But just like when traveling with a firearm, ensure that you know the laws before you travel with any weapons.
Vacations may be a welcome reprieve. But if you’re unable to make it to your destination safely, your trip won’t be the relaxing time away that you had originally hoped for. As such, by following the advice listed here, you’ll be able to help ensure that you arrive at your destination with safety in mind.
