Safety Tips for Long Road Trips

Long road trips can be fun and come with a variety of benefits. They can also come with fatigue, stress, and reckless drivers. There are several ways you can reduce your chances of experiencing a car accident on a long road trip. The two main ways are to stay safe on the road and to combat drowsy driving. When you do find yourself in an accident, consider talking to a Wilmington car accident lawyer about your options.

HOW TO STAY SAFE ON ROAD TRIPS

Staying safe on road trips can mean a variety of things. General road trip safety tips include things like:

• Keeping up with gas in your car
• Making sure your car is up to date on inspection or repairs
• Having a physical or digital map to avoid becoming lost

Some people also pack an emergency kit, but this might be too expensive or time-consuming. You may want to pack a small first aid kit instead or a few first aid supplies like:

• Sterilization wipes or antiseptics
• Bandages
• Any medications relevant to you
• Antibiotic creams

Phone chargers are important for making sure you always have access to your phone. You could need your phone to call 911 in an emergency or to use a GPS when you find yourself lost. If you forgot your phone charger, many gas stations have them for sale.

Checking the weather can be helpful. Inclement weather conditions like sleet, snow, ice, or heavy thunderstorms can make driving long distances dangerous. Car accidents tend to happen at a higher rate in these conditions. Severe flooding or hail can put your whole trip to a halt.

WAYS TO STAY AWAKE ON LONG ROAD TRIPS

Drowsy driving kills hundreds of drivers each year. There are several reasons drowsy driving can happen along with ways to combat this. Part of avoiding drowsy driving is:

• Receiving enough sleep the night before the trip
• Not driving too long

Something that can help if you did not receive enough sleep or you have to drive all day is taking turns. Having someone else who can drive comes with multiple advantages. When you feel too tired to continue driving, the other person can take over and so on. The person not driving can take a nap to recharge before driving again.

Medications are often overlooked. Read medications labels carefully and avoid driving if your medication tells warns about drowsiness as a side effect. Some medications will even advise you not to drive at all.

Lastly, try to avoid driving between midnight and six in the morning. These are the hours when most drowsy driving accidents happen. If you find yourself in an accident, try contacting a Wilmington accident lawyer who can help.

CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER IN DELAWARE

Going through a major car accident is stressful. Ask a Delaware accident attorney for help if you suffered injuries in a car accident and need compensation. Contact Edelstein Martin & Nelson by dialing (302) 295-5050 for a free consultation today. Our legal team of car accident lawyers can help increase your chances of receiving compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages.