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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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