7 Tips To A Great Road Trip

Summertime is the best time to go on a road trip. But many don't know that it's the most dangerous time of the year. Mostly because of two things: 1) Road Congestion and 2) Heat.

Here are my 7 tips to a great road trip:

1) Get the car oiled, fueled, and tires checked before leaving. Do this a few days in advance and recheck the tires before leaving on that vacation. Hot roads and long travel wear tires down. So make sure you have some tread and grip.

2) If you have time limits on travel, leave at a decent time. Think about the traffic you might go through along the way. Weekday work congestion will still occur. Traveling somewhere over the weekend? Everyone else might might have the same plan. Be ready for congestion.

3) Make sure you have a decent roadside assistance club or plan. These plans are worth the money when making a trip. Good Sam & AAA have them. Your auto insurance may have it attached. Our Progressive and Metlife plans have a roadside feature. Also have a credit card for the trip (just in case).

4) Carry an emergency kit. You know, some band aids, jumper cables, water, and a spare tire. Maybe a flashlight or two.

5) Focus on the road, have your passenger use a traffic app to help find problems, turns, and detours. Waze app is a good one. So is Google Maps.

6) Take breaks every 45 - 60 minutes to rest and "reset". This helps exercise and avoid the sleepy head syndrome.

7) You will be tempted to drive like a NASCAR driver. Please don't. You will just put you and your passengers in potential trouble. Focus on what the traffic is doing around you and get there safely. That is best job a driver of any sort could do. Make it to the finish safely and have fun once you get there.