Taking a long road trip is a popular thing to do in summer. Students drive home from an out-of-state college. Families travel across the country on vacation. Teens use their first summer with a car and license to explore. And people of all ages drive to music festivals to see their favorite bands.
While these trips can be great fun, they can also be risky. Most people are not used to driving for such distances day after day and that can bring safety problems.
1. Fatigue
Having to stay awake and concentrate while driving can be tough, especially with the sun beating down on you. Staying up late chatting or drinking with friends can exacerbate the problem. Adequate rest is crucial to safe driving and that means getting a good night’s sleep as well as taking sufficient breaks throughout the day.
2. Poor diet
Coffee, Red Bull and roadside snacks do not make for a healthy diet, yet this is what many subsist on during a long road trip. It can leave them feeling sluggish and tired, compared to when eating their normal diet. It can slow reaction times or cause a person to lose concentration more easily.
3. Distractions
If you are eating and drinking while you drive that then becomes a distraction, making it harder to drive safely. Another common distraction on long road trips is the phone – because you might be trying to keep in touch with people back home. Another is passengers. People can be incredibly distracting during long road trips, whether it’s your kids asking how long till you get there, or your best friend goofing around in the passenger seat because they are so excited to be underway.
Trying to avoid letting these issues affect your driving is crucial. Other drivers may not be so prudent and learning how to claim compensation will be crucial if one crashes into you. Call us today to assess your legal options.