Summer Travel Tips for Your Upcoming Road Trip

by Easton Motors

Car on road trip, summer travel tips

With the warmer weather, many are finalizing their summer travel plans. A survey found that last year (2019) 73% of  American families planned to take at least one summer road trip.  Many vacationers meticulously outline the details of their trips including the driving routes, our packing list, overnight accommodations, and daily activities. However, some aren’t prepared for mechanical vehicle issues that may arise while traveling. Here are a few summer travel tips to keep you safe in the event you run into mechanical issues while on the road.

Summer Travel Tip #1: Prepare for Unexpected Mechanical Failures Ahead of Time.

As the departure date approaches, make sure your car is up to date on all its scheduled maintenance including any oil changes and recommended tune-ups. Although your car may have recently been serviced, look under your hood to ensure all fluids are at adequate levels

Also, open your trunk to check the air pressure in your spare tire and to make sure the car jack is where it’s supposed to be. 

Jumper cables are an invaluable tool to have on hand just in case your car lights are accidentally left on leading to a drained battery. 

In addition, an emergency kit is also helpful to carry in your car, especially on longer road trips. Make sure your kit includes hazard markers or reflectors.

Although it’s important to prepare ahead of time,  you may still find yourself stuck on the side of the road needing additional help. 

Road signs on summer travel road trip

Summer Travel Tip #2: Always Pay Attention to Your Location as You are Traveling

Despite diligent preparations, you may find yourself dealing with an unexpected mechanical issue while traveling on the road to or from your vacation destination. Your route may include large stretches of roads in remote areas. 

If you need to call for a tow truck or additional help, they will need information to locate you. Unfortunately, you may be in a situation where you do not have an address to give to indicate your location. Any other information you can provide to them will help them find you in a timely manner. No one wants to be stuck on the side of the road longer than need be. 

By taking note of road signage while driving, you will be able to give the towing company the necessary information. These signs may indicate mile markers, city limits, road names, and exit ramps. 

In addition, always know on what road you are currently traveling and the direction in which you are traveling (North/South/East/West). This is where mile markers are helpful as it will indicate at what part of the road you are located. It’s very unlikely the towing service will take the time to search for you without any helpful location information.

It’s worth noting that often times auto clubs have service companies that operate within specific areas. In other words, they will only travel within a certain radius of their business location. Therefore, it would benefit you to be aware of your location at all times. This way they can send the right person the first time and be able to reach you as quickly as possible. 

Broken down car summer travel tips

Summer Travel Tip #3: If You Find the Need to Pull Over While Driving on an Interstate, Do So On the Right Side. 

If your situation allows for it, it is usually safer to pull off on the right shoulder of the interstate roadway.

Avoid stopping on the left side in the center divider of the interstate. This area is usually the most dangerous area at which to stop even though there may be concrete dividers present. The “fast lane” is generally the lane closest to the center divider, making it significantly more dangerous than the right shoulder. 

Tow truck drivers prefer to attend to service calls on the right side of the interstate. Oftentimes, if you are stuck on the left side,  drivers will tow your vehicle off the interstate to a safer location to work on it. This takes extra time and can cost you even more in service fees. Sometimes, in urgent situations, you may not have a choice as to where you pull over. However, whenever possible, do your best to merge to the right shoulder. 

Summer Travel Tip #4: Stay Safe By Making Your Vehicle Visible When Pulled Over on the Side of the Road. 

When your vehicle has broken down, it’s important to make your vehicle visible, particularly after sunset. Always turn your hazard lights on no matter what time of day it is. This is the situation where you would want to place any hazard markers or reflectors from your emergency kit by your vehicle to alert other motorists.

If you must leave your vehicle on the side of the road it is in your best interest to contact the local state patrol. Let them know your vehicle location and they will be able to inform you if it’s safe to leave it there and what their policies are on “abandoned vehicles”. This information will help you plan on retrieving your vehicle in a timely manner and avoid having your vehicle impounded. 

Also, remember that tow trucks can usually only accommodate one or two passengers. If the repairs cannot be completed at the site and you are traveling with your family, you will need to call a cab company for transportation to a safe location. Calling the police for transportation assistance may be an option if a cab company is unavailable in that area. 

In the event you are traveling at night, you will need overnight accommodations if you are not close to your final destination. The towing company servicing your car may be able to recommend a local hotel.

Summer Travel Tip #5: Familiarize Yourself With Your Auto Insurance Policy Before You Leave on Your Road Trip.

Many insurance companies offer roadside assistance. This is usually an add-on service to auto insurance policies. In most cases, you need to request it be added to your policy for an additional monthly fee.  If you drive enough for work or leisure, it comes in handy in case of emergencies. wonderful to have in an emergency.

Below is a list of insurance companies offering a roadside assistance option:

  • Progressive
  • USAA
  • State Farm
  • Geico
  • Allstate
  • Farmers

Some of your other service providers may also offer a roadside assistance service option for an additional fee. These unexpected companies include:

  • Sprint 
  • Verizon
  • AMEX
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
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