The summer travel season is quickly approaching, and many families will be hitting the road for Memorial Day weekend.
While family trips are meant to be fun, with so many extra vehicles on the road, traveling this time of year can also lead to unpleasant driving circumstances.
The following are a few tips for all travelers to follow, making it possible for everyone to share the road safely – ensuring that everyone arrives to their destination as happily as possible. –
1~ Allow Extra Time. Before leaving the house, know ahead of time that the roads will be busier than normal and leave a little early, if necessary. Try not to make a specific arrival time, and just enjoy the travels.
2~ Stay Calm. Even if other drivers are swerving their vehicles into different lanes in hopes to make better time on the road, try to stay calm and just keep your normal speed. You don’t ever want the passengers in your vehicle cringing in fear, if you drive with road rage. Stay calm. Enjoy the company of those that you are traveling with, and let the other drivers speed, if they feel it necessary to do so.
3~ Put Away the Phone. Even a quick glance at your phone screen while driving, takes away your concentration off of the road, and can cost your life. Some states even have laws prohibiting the use of phones while driving. Put your phone away, while behind the wheel. If something extremely important arises, either pull off the road to a safe location, or have a passenger use the phone for you.
4~ Pack Essentials. For long road trips, drinks and snacks are a vital part to making the trip enjoyable for everyone. Pack a cooler full of easy accessible water and juice bottles. Also pack enough snacks to tide everyone over in case you get stuck in a traffic jam for extended amounts of time.
5~ Be Courteous. If passengers feel that they need to use the rest room, or just request to get out of the vehicle to stretch their legs, don’t ignore their needs. Remember that half of the trip is the travel time, and it’s important to keep everyone happy.
6~ Support the Driver. If you are the passenger on the road trip, make sure that you are always alert to the needs of the driver. Be there to offer them drinks and snacks, and be sure to help with directions and use of the GPS, if needed. If the driver looks like they are getting tired, offer to take over the driving, giving them a much needed break.
7~ Have Fun. Instead of focusing on making the best time, try having a good time. Make Bingo cards for the passengers to play – where they have to search for certain things along the road to cross off. Make unscheduled stops at tourist attractions along the way, or make a list of how many different states’ license plates you can spot during the trip.
Following these tips and participating in the games can turn the often dreaded travel time into fun family memories – helping you not only arrive to your location safely, but also stress free.
