Going on a road trip is both fun and tiring. It often requires long nights on the highway to get to where you want to go. Sometimes there isn’t another person in the car who has a driver’s license to take the load off you (think single parents). This often results in sleeping in your car, a risky decision both legally and as far as safety is concerned.
We’ll talk about whether you are allowed to sleep on the side of the road and when it is safe to do so. This isn’t the only controversial decision that can be made during a road trip, though. We’ll also talk about several other things you shouldn’t do on a road trip, from taking tons of detours to driving without your proof of insurance.
#1 – Don’t Take an Unfamiliar Vehicle
When you are about to drive somewhere hundreds of miles away, you should always use a vehicle you are familiar with. Your focus needs to be on the road, not on the interesting features of your friend’s car.
There’s always a learning curve of some sort when you are behind the wheel of an unfamiliar vehicle, and this isn’t good when you are headed to a new destination. If you’ve just bought a new car, drive it to your normal daily places before taking a trip with it.
#2 – Don’t Use an Unreliable Car
Road trips require vehicles you know will be reliable. Don’t take your old sedan that keeps going into the shop every other month for maintenance. If the vehicle has one of its breakdowns during a road trip, you won’t be able to get it in for repairs like you normally would.
You’ll have to call a tow truck in an unfamiliar area. Your trip will be completely sidetracked. What if the car is going to be getting fixed for days after it’s towed? The trip you had originally planned is no longer possible.
It may be nostalgic to drive an older car, but never take them with you on vacation. Save it for the confines of your normal routine where a breakdown can be more easily fixed.
#3 – Don’t Drive Without Insurance
Driving without insurance is a risky decision, and it’s often illegal depending on the state. If you don’t have an insurance policy, you’ll have to pay for all your expenses from an accident on your own. Considering you are unfamiliar with where you’re driving when on a road trip, it’s even more important to have insurance in case of an accident.
Let’s say you may make a wrong turn on a twisty road because you are busy looking at your map. This is something that you wouldn’t normally do in your local area. Driving in foreign places makes it more likely you will crash and need insurance to cover the damage.
#4 – Don’t Sleep on the Side of the Road
Driving for a long time on a road trip will lead to fatigue. You might feel you’re going to fall asleep, so you pull over to the side for a quick nap. Before you make this decision, you need to decide whether it is safe and legal to sleep where you pull over.
Many states require you to go to a rest stop before snoozing. The shoulder is not a legal place to park and sleep in most areas. Some states don’t even let you stay overnight at rest stops. Alabama, Florida, and Georgia are three examples of states that only allow quick stops at rest areas, not overnight stays.
You should consider a camping site so you can sleep without getting pulled over and ticketed. Camping sites are also safer areas to park and rest than the side of the road.
Many road trips take you through the mountains. Parking on the side of the road in these situations is incredibly dangerous because your car could fall off a ledge. Make sure there is always space for your car where you park to rest.
#5 – Don’t Turn on a Movie
Kids love to watch movies in the car during long trips, but this might not be a great idea for the driver. If you are someone who gets easily distracted during car trips, you should find another way to keep your children entertained.
Try doing things like singing songs with the family and turning on the radio. Listening to music doesn’t require your eyes. It’s much easier to multitask this way than having a TV show on that you will be tempted to watch while driving.
Have your children play video games if they need something more engaging than a sing-along. This will also keep them from fighting with each other in the middle of the trip because they will all be immersed in their own games.
#6 – Don’t Go on Detours
Try to stick to the path you chose on your GPS or map during your road trip. Taking detours in unfamiliar places is sure to lead to confusion and car accidents. Luckily, smartphones have everything you need to find where you are if you get lost.
If you do accidentally detour, your smartphone map will automatically relocate where you are and find the next best route to your destination. This should go without saying, but never leave on a trip without having a map of some sort.
#7 – Don’t Try to Break Up Fights While Driving
Families often have trouble not fighting when they are stuck in a car for hours. Kids are going to bicker, and parents can put everyone in danger by trying to break it up while driving. Pull over on the side of the road to stop a fight. The one arm on the wheel, one arm in the backseat routine many parents try to juggle will increase the risk of car wrecks.
Hopefully, you can see there are many ways to combat the difficulties faced on road trips. Be prepared and adapt accordingly to problems that arise, and you have a better chance of having a fun-filled vacation on the highway.
Shawn Laib writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, AutoInsurance.org. He wants to help people learn how to drive safer when they go on vacation.
