How To Drive To Arrive At Your Holiday Destination Safely

For many motorists, Bank Holiday weekends mean long journeys to a caravan, camp site or hotel. By taking a few simple steps and precautions, that long drive can become far more safe and enjoyable. This article provides tips on how to reach your holiday destination in safety.

Sleep Well
Aim to get a good night’s rest before undertaking any long journey. This not only applies to the driver, but also passengers as well. It’s important that everyone in the vehicle feels fresh, alert and ready to undertake the journey ahead.

Packing The Car
If possible, try to pack the night before your journey. Having the family prepared well in advance will make the start of the journey far less stressful. Items should be loaded evenly within the car to avoid any imbalance whilst driving. Avoid any loose items, particularly heavy ones, as they have the potential to injure occupants after sudden breaking.

Drink, Food and Toys
It’s important to have plenty of water in the car to stay hydrated, especially during the warmer summer months. Take foods such as chocolate bars and bananas, that can be consumed easily and help keep energy levels high. Children can easily become bored during long journeys. Providing them with books and toys can help keep them occupied. Also have sweets or healthy snacks readily available, as they can be used to reward good behavior.

Essential Car Checks
Breakdowns can often be attributed to poor car maintenance. Before starting any long journey check essentials such as tyre depth, tyre pressure, lights, windscreen wipers, engine oil and windscreen wash, to name a few. Remember, tyre pressures need to be adjusted when travelling with a full load. The vehicle manual should provide information on the correct tyre pressures for both normal and full loads.

Regular car servicing is one way to prevent such vehicle essentials from being faulty. In addition ensure that all drivers have their licenses with them and that the car tax is in date.

Plan Your Journey
If you’re travelling on a weekday, bear in mind the early morning and late afternoon traffic, especially in busy towns, which are more likely to be impacted by work traffic and roadworks. Many motorists rely Sat-Navs for directions, however, its good advice to take a road map as back-up. If you need to arrive at a specific at time, for instance for ferry crossing, remember to allow enough time for breaks when planning your journey.

Adjust Your Driving Style
All the weight of suitcases, bags and everything else that typically accompanies a family on holiday can have impact on your car. This will be noticeable in low powered cars. The additional weight can make stopping distances longer and acceleration slower. Remember to take this into account when accelerating to overtake other vehicles or braking ahead of junctions, roundabouts and traffic lights.

Stay Alert
Fatigue can increase your chances of having an accident, reduce your tolerance of other drivers and impact concentration. Taking regular breaks will help you remain focused and attentive. If possible, swapping driving responsibility at regular intervals with someone else is a great way to keep everyone alert.

Remember, all drivers will need to be insured to drive the car. Whilst driving, if you find yourself yawning, feeling stiff, day-dreaming or crossing lanes, you’re showing signs of tiredness…time to pull over and take a break.

Be Ready For The Worst Case Situation
It’s important to be prepared, should the worst happen and you breakdown. It’s recommended that you have a warning triangle, jump leads, first aid kit, tow rope, torch and charged mobile phone at all times in your car. You should also have appropriate breakdown cover arranged, with contact details close to hand. Remember, keeping your vehicle maintained through frequent car servicing should reduce the likelihood of breaking down.

Take time to plan and prepare, and you’ll find that driving a long distances becomes enjoyable rather than stressful. After all, there’s no better feeling than arriving at your destination relaxed and ready for your holiday.