20 Best Safe driving tips
Hitting the road on your next trip? Whether you're
heading to Grandma's with the kids or hitting Route
66 for a cross-country jaunt, don't leave home
without our tried and tested driving tips. Read on to
learn more about avoiding traffic, saving money,
and staying safe (and staying awake!) on your next
road trip.
1. Before beginning a long drive, always get enough
sleep and eat something before you go. Highly
caffeinated beverages are not necessarily the best
way to stay awake while driving. While initially you
will feel more alert, the effects can recede with
time, and your attention may wander although you
remain awake. http://www.bit.ly/1RZ0G5x
2. Pull over and take breaks every couple of hours,
even if you don't feel sleepy. Grab a snack, get
some fresh air, and stretch your legs by walking
around. If you need to, take a quick nap. http://www.bit.ly/1RZOG5x
3. If you can, share the driving responsibilities with
someone else. This will allow you to keep an eye on
each other while driving and also enable you to nap
without losing time. If you're driving alone, turn on
the radio or put on some music, and keep your
window cracked open. You may also want to refrain
from using your cruise control if you're driving
alone at night -- having to concentrate on
maintaining your speed can help you stay awake.
4. If you do have to pull over, move your vehicle off
the road. Never park on the shoulder or in the
breakdown lane for any reason except an
emergency.
The Eight Best U.S. Road Trips
5. Know the laws along your route concerning cell
phone use while driving. While it may be legal in
one place, it may be illegal in another, and
ignorance is not typically an acceptable excuse for
a violation. Here's a handy chart of cell phone laws
by state (keep in mind that this information can
change at any time). However, even if it's legal to
talk on a cell phone where you're going, it's usually
safest to use a hands-free device.
6. If you don't know this one, shame on you. Never
drink any alcohol before your trip. While you may
not become intoxicated from one beer, you will
become sleepy.
Save on Your Next Car Rental
7. Keep an eye on the skies, and if you can, plan a
route around inclement weather . A minor detour
could actually wind up saving you major time.
8. Search the Web for traffic update sites and listen
to radio traffic alerts, especially when approaching
major cities. If you don't have a smartphone, all-
news stations on the AM dial are often your best
bet.
9. Not even a GPS unit is infallible, so we
recommend bringing a detailed map or road atlas as
a backup just in case. A mapping app on your
smartphone is another must-have for long road
trips.
10. If you are driving a rental vehicle, familiarize
yourself with the car and all of its equipment (horn,
brakes, hazard lights). For an amusing but true look
at this issue, see The First 10 Minutes of Your Car
Rental. www.google.com
Plan Your Road Trip
11. Lock all of your valuables (especially items that
are clearly gifts) in the trunk or glove compartment
and stow all luggage in the trunk. For more ideas,
see Nine Ways to Keep Your Car Safe on the Road .
12. Familiarize yourself with local traffic laws,
which vary from state to state and especially
overseas. Is it legal to make a right turn at a red
light? What are the rules on yielding to pedestrians?
For more on international car travel, see Renting a
Car Abroad .
13. Before setting off on a long car trip, be sure
your vehicle is in prime condition -- that tires are
properly inflated, all fluids are at their proper levels
and you have a full tank of gas. (For particularly
long road trips, you may want to have your
mechanic do a more thorough check.)
14. Consider becoming a member of AAA or signing
up for your car insurer's roadside assistance
program. You won't regret it when your car breaks
down on a lonely back road.
15. Keep costs down by conserving gas as you
drive. Minimize sudden starts and stops, empty
your car of all unnecessary weight, and slow down
-- it takes much less fuel to drive 55 miles an hour
than it does to drive 70. For more ideas, see Save
Gas and Money .
16. Don't wait until your gas gauge is sitting on E to
refuel. On an unfamiliar road, you never know when
the next gas station will appear. As soon as you hit
a quarter of a tank, start looking for a place to fill
up.
17. When traveling with kids, be sure to stop often --
not just for snacks and potty breaks, but also for
fun. See a cool playground along the way? Pull over
and throw a Frisbee around. You'll also want to
pack toys, books and music for the car -- not to
mention your motion sickness remedy of choice.
For more ideas, see Family Car Travel.
18. Feeling munchy? Stock up on snacks and drinks
at grocery stores rather than gas stations or
convenience stores -- you'll get a wider and
healthier selection, as well as better prices. For
more advice, see Eating Well and Staying Active .
19. On longer trips , keep napkins, plasticware and a
small cooler handy for meals on the go. You'll also
want some spare change for tolls, as well as a first-
aid kit, flashlight, pillow and blanket. Keep a set of
jumper cables, a spare tire or donut, and extra
fluids for the car (such as windshield wiper fluid) in
your trunk.
20. This last tip should go without saying, but it's
important enough that we'll say it anyway: Make
sure everyone in the car buckles his or her
seatbelt. Not only will it keep you safe, but in many
places it's also the law.
Source: Independent traveller.
heading to Grandma's with the kids or hitting Route
66 for a cross-country jaunt, don't leave home
without our tried and tested driving tips. Read on to
learn more about avoiding traffic, saving money,
and staying safe (and staying awake!) on your next
road trip.
1. Before beginning a long drive, always get enough
sleep and eat something before you go. Highly
caffeinated beverages are not necessarily the best
way to stay awake while driving. While initially you
will feel more alert, the effects can recede with
time, and your attention may wander although you
remain awake. http://www.bit.ly/1RZ0G5x
2. Pull over and take breaks every couple of hours,
even if you don't feel sleepy. Grab a snack, get
some fresh air, and stretch your legs by walking
around. If you need to, take a quick nap. http://www.bit.ly/1RZOG5x
3. If you can, share the driving responsibilities with
someone else. This will allow you to keep an eye on
each other while driving and also enable you to nap
without losing time. If you're driving alone, turn on
the radio or put on some music, and keep your
window cracked open. You may also want to refrain
from using your cruise control if you're driving
alone at night -- having to concentrate on
maintaining your speed can help you stay awake.
4. If you do have to pull over, move your vehicle off
the road. Never park on the shoulder or in the
breakdown lane for any reason except an
emergency.
The Eight Best U.S. Road Trips
5. Know the laws along your route concerning cell
phone use while driving. While it may be legal in
one place, it may be illegal in another, and
ignorance is not typically an acceptable excuse for
a violation. Here's a handy chart of cell phone laws
by state (keep in mind that this information can
change at any time). However, even if it's legal to
talk on a cell phone where you're going, it's usually
safest to use a hands-free device.
6. If you don't know this one, shame on you. Never
drink any alcohol before your trip. While you may
not become intoxicated from one beer, you will
become sleepy.
Save on Your Next Car Rental
7. Keep an eye on the skies, and if you can, plan a
route around inclement weather . A minor detour
could actually wind up saving you major time.
8. Search the Web for traffic update sites and listen
to radio traffic alerts, especially when approaching
major cities. If you don't have a smartphone, all-
news stations on the AM dial are often your best
bet.
9. Not even a GPS unit is infallible, so we
recommend bringing a detailed map or road atlas as
a backup just in case. A mapping app on your
smartphone is another must-have for long road
trips.
10. If you are driving a rental vehicle, familiarize
yourself with the car and all of its equipment (horn,
brakes, hazard lights). For an amusing but true look
at this issue, see The First 10 Minutes of Your Car
Rental. www.google.com
Plan Your Road Trip
11. Lock all of your valuables (especially items that
are clearly gifts) in the trunk or glove compartment
and stow all luggage in the trunk. For more ideas,
see Nine Ways to Keep Your Car Safe on the Road .
12. Familiarize yourself with local traffic laws,
which vary from state to state and especially
overseas. Is it legal to make a right turn at a red
light? What are the rules on yielding to pedestrians?
For more on international car travel, see Renting a
Car Abroad .
13. Before setting off on a long car trip, be sure
your vehicle is in prime condition -- that tires are
properly inflated, all fluids are at their proper levels
and you have a full tank of gas. (For particularly
long road trips, you may want to have your
mechanic do a more thorough check.)
14. Consider becoming a member of AAA or signing
up for your car insurer's roadside assistance
program. You won't regret it when your car breaks
down on a lonely back road.
15. Keep costs down by conserving gas as you
drive. Minimize sudden starts and stops, empty
your car of all unnecessary weight, and slow down
-- it takes much less fuel to drive 55 miles an hour
than it does to drive 70. For more ideas, see Save
Gas and Money .
16. Don't wait until your gas gauge is sitting on E to
refuel. On an unfamiliar road, you never know when
the next gas station will appear. As soon as you hit
a quarter of a tank, start looking for a place to fill
up.
17. When traveling with kids, be sure to stop often --
not just for snacks and potty breaks, but also for
fun. See a cool playground along the way? Pull over
and throw a Frisbee around. You'll also want to
pack toys, books and music for the car -- not to
mention your motion sickness remedy of choice.
For more ideas, see Family Car Travel.
18. Feeling munchy? Stock up on snacks and drinks
at grocery stores rather than gas stations or
convenience stores -- you'll get a wider and
healthier selection, as well as better prices. For
more advice, see Eating Well and Staying Active .
19. On longer trips , keep napkins, plasticware and a
small cooler handy for meals on the go. You'll also
want some spare change for tolls, as well as a first-
aid kit, flashlight, pillow and blanket. Keep a set of
jumper cables, a spare tire or donut, and extra
fluids for the car (such as windshield wiper fluid) in
your trunk.
20. This last tip should go without saying, but it's
important enough that we'll say it anyway: Make
sure everyone in the car buckles his or her
seatbelt. Not only will it keep you safe, but in many
places it's also the law.
Source: Independent traveller.
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