Being on the road can be a dangerous place. And if you’re behind the wheel so you can get to your summer vacation destination, you might be a little distracted by your excitement to remember to take all the necessary precautions that can keep you and your passengers safe while traveling the highways and freeways.
Luckily, if you’re smart and well prepared, there are things you can do to help minimize the risks of you running into trouble with your vehicle or getting into a car accident. To show you how, here are three ways you can increase your safety during your summer road trips.
Watch Out For Bad Weather
While you don’t have to worry about snowy or icy roads during your summer road trip, you do need to keep yourself aware of the type of weather you’ll be heading into. Summer storms can pick up out of nowhere, so it’s good to know what type of conditions you can expect to drive in each time you’re behind the wheel.
According to Chandler Clayton, a contributor to Safewise.com, you should try to keep track of the weather at the start of each day and throughout the day as you’re driving, since storms can travel fast and weather can change drastically from one town to another. To help you do this, try to find a weather app you trust or keep your radio tuned to a station that will give you periodic weather updates.
Don’t Allow For Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is one of the biggest reasons that people get in car accidents, no matter what season it is. But because there are usually more people on the road during the summer, it’s important that you have a plan for how to eliminate the distractions in your car while you’re driving.
To help you with this, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, advises that you turn your cell phone off while behind the wheel, limit any eating or drinking you do while driving, encourage your passengers to stay calm and quiet, and don’t participate in anything that takes your focus off the road.
Keep An Emergency Kit On-Hand
In the event that something does go wrong while you’re on your road trip this summer, you should be as prepared as you can be to tackle whatever problems you’re likely to face.
As part of this, Chip Wade, a contributor to Yahoo! Travel and Mental Floss, recommends that you pack an emergency kit into your car. In this kit, you should include things like basic first aid, tools to fix minor car issues, a cell phone charger, and extra food and water.
If you’re planning on taking a road trip this summer, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you stay safe while out on the road.
