What to Do Before and While Driving Your Vehicle on a Summer Road Trip

Planning on a summer getaway trip with your family, friends or colleagues? If so, then preparation and planning should be on the top of your list. As you might already know, highway crashes are on the rise, especially during this time of the year where roads are almost always filled with vehicles. Whether you’re going to the beach, to the campsite near the mountains, or go fishing by the lake, it really helps if you plan ahead. Doing so is much easier than dealing with breakdowns along the way, or worse, a highway crash. 

Before you put your family, friends, or colleagues inside your vehicle, let alone drive it, have your car, SUV, pickup, or RV serviced by a licensed mechanic. It is much better if you do it regularly at any time of the year. If, however, you are not aware of the service history of the vehicle you plan to drive, schedule a preventive maintenance check-up with your mechanic weeks before your scheduled trip.

Make sure that your tires are well-inflated so that you can avoid tire blowups or failure while traveling along the heat-soaked roadway. To prevent your engine from overheating, check carefully your vehicle’s coolant level to make sure it is enough to sustain long hours of driving. More importantly, make sure that your vehicle lights, from headlights, brake lights, turn signals, to your emergency flashers, are all in good working condition.

Before the day of your summer getaway, ensure that you have obtained enough rest, especially if you are the driver of the vehicle. That way, you will not only stay focused on the road ahead of you, but you will also avoid experiencing fatigue. It is much better if one of your family members, friends, or colleagues can also drive the vehicle. You may share your driving duties with him or her along the way; just don’t forget to bring along with them their driver’s license!

Moreover, to avoid experiencing a fender-bender along the road, you must avoid exercising certain bad driver behaviors. One such behavior is distracted driving. As much as possible, drivers must avoid anything that can pull their attention away from their driving. To put it simply, don’t use your mobile phone, eat, drink, or use in-vehicle gadgets while you’re behind the wheel.

Another behavior that you and your passengers need to avoid is the failure to use seatbelts. Before the trip, everyone aboard the vehicle, including you, must agree to wear the seatbelt, especially when they are riding or driving the vehicle. Doing so is the best defense against a highway crash caused by a drunk driver.

By making the necessary preparations before the trip and avoiding risky behaviors behind the wheel, reaching your preferred summer destination will be hassle-free. Expert litigators, including a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, are all wishing all motorists and their families, friends, and colleagues a safe and fun-filled summer.