How To Stay Safe On A Road Trip And Enjoy The Journey

So far, we have undertaken numerous road trips without incident, however, we are always more than aware that road traffic accidents are a clear and present danger on a road trip. The majority of accidents can be prevented by being prepared and taking simple precautions, so here follows some ideas to help you stay safe on a road trip and enjoy the journey.

Before setting off on your road trip

Before setting off on your road trip, as part of the planning for your trip, it’s a good idea to research the following for your destination Country:

Rules of the road – find out which side of the road you should drive on, and whether there any major rules of the road which are different to your home country. Some examples are:

• Four Way Junctions – despite having researched how to navigate four-way junctions in the USA and Canada, they can often be confusing when you experience them in real life. In summary, the first car to arrive at the junction is the first car allowed to go. If 2 cars arrive at the same time, then the person on the right has priority, but try to visually confirm this with the other driver before moving.
• Turn right on a red light – the other main difference of driving in the USA or Canada for UK drivers, is that it is usually acceptable to turn right on a red light, after checking to make sure that it’s safe to do so. This rule always seems very useful and makes me wonder why we don’t adopt it in the UK.

Input from others – look for blogs written by others who have taken similar road trip routes to yours and note down any clues about the state of the roads, or what to expect on the roads.

Special driving conditions – work out if there are any special driving conditions which you need to consider for your route, such as, driving on sand when you will need to let some air out of your tyres (for example, in the Omani desert), or driving in wet or icy conditions. Make sure you are prepared for what you might encounter.

Book the right choice of car – make sure that you hire the right sort of car for the road conditions you will be encountering. For example, you might need a 4-wheel drive if you are going to anywhere with rough terrain, unpredictable weather, remote, or if you’re covering long distances.

Challenging driving routes – some routes are known to be challenging and are only recommended for experienced and confident drivers (for example, Jabal Al Akhdar in Oman). Take a view on whether you are happy to attempt your planned route and remain comfortable.

Collecting your hire car

Take 10 minutes to check your hire car

How many times have you picked up a hire car, taken the keys and headed straight off on your journey? Well, my advice, before you head off on a road trip, would be to take 10 minutes for the following checks:

• Check the car for scratches, scrapes, and dints.   Take photos of any damage and report it to the car rental office before leaving, to ensure that they know it was not you who caused the damage, otherwise it could be costly at the end of the holiday.
• Check to make sure that the hire car has a spare tyre and winch in case of a flat tyre.
• Make sure there are no warning lights on the dashboard and that the car has water and oil.
• Make sure you have some sort of satellite navigation system with the car, and that it works.

Whilst driving on a road trip

Be alert to…

Speed limits – whilst driving on a road trip, be alert to the local speed limits to avoid getting a speeding fine, and for general reasons of safety. Some countries with long stretches of road in-between towns, such as Canada, have Aircraft Patrol Zones which you need to be aware of as well as police cars operating at ground level. Whilst drivers in some countries seem to take pride ignoring the speed limits, try not to follow their lead and take your time – you are on holiday after all!

Other drivers on the road – like at home, there is always a risk on the road from other drivers, for example, jumping red lights or speeding, so just take it easy and be extra vigilant.

Wildlife on the roads – in many countries there is a risk from wildlife suddenly running out into the road, particularly at dawn or dusk, so just be alert to any animals lurking by the sides of the road.

Inclement weather – some countries will issue warnings about driving conditions via text, for example, in California, we got an alert to our phones about flash floods nearby although we didn’t even witness any rain. However, its good practise to keep your eye on the weather forecast for your destination(s), so you can prepare for any extreme weather which might affect driving conditions (storms, flooding, high winds, snow etc).

Avoiding tiredness on long drives

We once made the mistake of flying from the UK to Los Angeles, picking up a hire car at LAX and then tackling the busy freeway down to San Diego. Whist on paper this is a completely acceptable plan, in reality we were extremely tired after the flight and found the 2-hour drive on the InterState very challenging. Avoid our mistake by staying overnight after a long-haul flight (even if at an airport hotel) and then setting out fresh in the morning on your road trip.

Once on a road trip, make sure you have not been overly ambitious with your itinerary, and that you have planned a realistic route with plenty of stops, as it is surprising how quickly you can become tired when driving long distances, or on hypnotic long straight roads.

On a recent road trip in Western Australia, we were amazing how long and straight the roads were, with barely any traffic and just the occasional ‘road train’ thundering past – both beautiful scenery but monotonous at the same time.

Tips for avoid tiredness on road trips include:

• Realistic distances – try not to plan too much driving in one day, ideally no more than 4 hours (2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon), with pitstops in between. 
• Regular breaks – take regular breaks even if only brief stops for the toilet or to grab a coffee.  It just gives you time to stretch out your legs and back.
• Teamwork – work as a team if you can and swap drivers each time you stop for a break.
• Sugar boost – keep something sugary in the car for a boost if you start flagging.
• Fresh air – open the window for a bit if you start to feel tired.
• Sing song – Have a sing along to some upbeat music!

Driving at night

We have tended not to drive at night on a road trip for the reasons of safety – yes, the roads are typically quieter, and you can lengthen your sightseeing day, but there is a greater risk of animals jumping out into the road and getting tired whilst driving.

In some countries, there could also be issues with crime and so we have just taken the line of not driving at night to be on the safe side.

In case of an emergency

Hopefully nothing untoward happens whilst you are on your road trip, however, you should know who to call, for example:

Breakdowns – most reputable car hire companies have a breakdown service which will attend to any of its vehicles which run into trouble. Beware of any hire car companies which don’t offer this service.

Accidents – you call the local emergency services.

Insurers – let them know if you have been involved in an accident.

In summary, I think the main message is to take your time and travel slowly, enjoying the scenery and sights along the way. Adopting the mindset, that your road trip journeys are as much a part of the holiday as what you see in-between, will help you stay safe as you slow may your way along your chosen road trip route.

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Enjoy your travels!