For most of us, road trips are meant to be fun. But when companies send employees out on the road, there are sometimes different priorities. Even when they leave the workplace, employee safety remains a top priority. Therefore, employees who are on the road for work purposes need to be protected by their employer and given the tools to stay safe.
Of course, it’s a good idea for everyone on a road trip to have a similar attitude toward safety. In other words, we can all agree that road trip safety is important, which is why we put together a list of tips and things to keep in mind for everybody on the road who hopes to have a fun and safe road trip.
Presumably, your road trip has a destination, so before you leave, you should get to know the place where you’re going a little better. Learn about the area and what the people are like so that you aren’t surprised or caught off guard when you get there. Every place has local culture and things that make it special. If you aren’t sure what you’re getting yourself into beforehand, you could put your safety in jeopardy. After all, there could be parts of that city that you’d be wise to avoid.
After learning more about your destination, take a closer look at how you’re going to get there. Of course, everybody uses GPS these days to get going. But what if your mobile device runs out of battery or takes you down the wrong road? Also, it can be unsafe to be constantly looking at directions on your GPS device when you should be looking at the road.
For this reason, you should learn as much as you can about your route before leaving. What interstates and highways are you taking? How long will you be on each one? What are the key exits you should know about? If you have all of this information in your head before you leave, you’ll know where your GPS is taking you and you won’t need to rely on it for everything. This will help you pay closer attention to the road, leading to a safer road trip.
Obviously, there is nothing you can do to control the weather. But that doesn’t mean knowing about it ahead of time won’t help. Always check the forecast before you leave on a trip to help you anticipate if and when you might come across inclement weather. You might be able to plan an alternate route to avoid the bad weather or perhaps plan out stops so that you don’t have to be on the road during the worst of it.
Likewise, always remember to get an updated forecast every time you stop since the weather report can often change. To be safe, you always want the most updated weather information available.
If you’re driving a car that isn’t yours or that you haven’t driven a lot, take some time to get to know the vehicle better before leading. Every model of car is a little different with various bells and whistles, including safety features.
The trick is knowing how to use each of those features. You don’t want to be figuring that out while you’re in the middle of driving because it’ll be distracting and take your eyes off the road. Before you hit the road, locate all of the vehicle’s key functions so that you can feel comfortable behind the wheel. If you don’t feel comfortable, you won’t be as safe as possible.
In addition to getting to know your vehicle better, there is also plenty of prep work on the vehicle that needs to be done. A lot of this is basic stuff that needs to be done. For example, check that the taillights and turn signals are working properly. Make sure the tires are inflated and have enough tread on them. If you’re driving a long way, it’s always a good idea to check things like the oil and coolant. Any road trip can be easily derailed if something unexpected goes wrong with the car. You also don’t want to be driving an unsafe vehicle. Therefore, make sure to perform basic safety checks on your vehicle before leaving.
This isn’t always something that you can control, but whenever possible, pick and choose the right times to be on the road. There tends to be a lot more traffic during the late afternoon and early evening hours. This is also when other drivers are more likely to be tired, making the roads less safe. The same logic applies at night, especially since most people don’t see as well once the sun goes down. Of course, the day of the week can also matter. If you can plan a road trip on a Tuesday or Wednesday before the roads get clogged up during the weekend, there will be less traffic and the roads will be safer.
If you take the proper steps before a road trip, it should be largely event-free. However, some things you can’t predict or avoid, which is why you should do some emergency planning before leaving. For instance, know who you can contact in case of an emergency ahead of time. This can be someone at your company or somebody who might be waiting for you at your destination.
It’s also important that someone has a copy of your itinerary and travel plans. That way, somebody will know where you’re supposed to be at any given time. Even if you’re traveling alone, you shouldn’t be the only person who knows your location so that you can be found in case of an emergency.
Naturally, no road trip is complete without snacks and sugary drinks, but there are also supplies you might need for safety reasons. For instance, keep an emergency roadside kit and a first-aid kit in your vehicle. It also doesn’t hurt to have jumper cables, road flares, and a flashlight. Packing extra clothes, blankets, and water doesn’t hurt either. Hopefully, there will be no reason to use any of these items. But if you want to play it safe, there should be some emergency supplies in your vehicle.
Driving long distances can take a lot more out of you than you might think. Even if you’re just sitting there, you’re using a lot of mental energy paying attention to the road. It’s also easy to get bored and complacent while staring at the road hour after hour, which can cause a lapse in concentration. Needless to say, this doesn’t make you a safe driver. For this reason, it’s a good idea to take frequent breaks, at least every couple of hours. Give yourself a few minutes to walk around and stretch a little. This will help to keep your brain engaged while also resetting your focus for the next stretch of driving.
In addition to stopping to take breaks, drivers need to get plenty of rest before and during road trips. Tired drivers always have longer reaction times and don’t always make smart, split-second decisions. Therefore, make sure you are well-rested the night before a road trip and set aside plenty of time for sleep if it’s a multi-day trip. If you feel tired to the point that you can’t drive safely, pull over and find a place to rest. Even if it takes you off schedule, it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to driving while tired.
If you’re lucky enough to have a passenger with you during a road trip, let that person shoulder some of the load. Obviously, if two people share the driving, it allows each one to rest a little and be safer while they’re behind the wheel. But the driver should also make sure that the passenger takes care of things that can be a distraction.
For instance, allow the passenger to handle the GPS and let you know what exits to take or what turns to make. Allow the passenger to check the weather forecast or play with the radio. Anything that might cause the driver to take their hands off the wheel or their attention off the road can easily be done by the passenger instead. Whenever possible, road trips should be a team effort because having two people to take care of things is safer than one.
The simplest safety advice for a road trip might also be the best advice. When you’re in a car, you should always use your seat belt. The chance of a serious injury or fatality in a car crash is cut in half when you have your seat belt on.
Of course, it’s not just the driver; every passenger should also have a seat belt on at all times. Again, it’s simple and obvious, but this is the best thing you can do to ensure a safe road trip.