When you think about a road trip, you are probably imagining
it during the summer. While the warmer months are often a more appealing time
to take a road trip, many people actually travel more during the winter months
when visiting friends and family for the holidays. However, if you decide to
drive to your winter destination, you should take certain precautions to keep
yourself and your passengers safe. Otherwise, you are playing with fire . . .
er, or ice. Below are a few tips on how to plan a seamless cold weather road
trip:
Bring a Friend or
Other Family Member
Not only will bringing a friend or family member provide you
with some company (useful for making sure you stay awake on a long haul), but
they can also potentially split the driving with you. This keeps your chances
of having an accident at a minimum. While your companion is driving you can
catch a quick nap to keep your energy levels high for your fun-filled mini
vacation.
Physically Print Out
Directions
This may seem a little old-school, but having a printed set
of directions will come in handy if your navigation system fails – which is
always a possibility. There is nothing worse than driving aimlessly in a city
or state without the slightest idea of where you are or how to get where you
are going. Familiarize yourself with the major highways and the direction in
which you should be heading on your trip so that, if you get lost, you will
have a general idea of how to reroute. When in doubt, buy a state or regional
map to supplement, or grab one of the free ones sometimes offered by welcome
centers at the state borders. Keeping a physical copy of the directions could
be the difference between arriving before or after Christmas day.
Keep Your Tank
Relatively Full
No matter how carefully you study the directions or how many
GPS systems you have on hand, it's still possible to get turned around –
especially if it's your first time traveling to a location. If you're on a long
stretch of country road with no civilization in sight or on a turnpike that you
can't get off of for several miles, the last thing you want to be worried about
is whether you have enough gas. For this reason, it's crucial to keep your tank
full. It may also be smart to keep a small gas can in your trunk for emergency
situations – though, for safety reasons, it's best that you keep it empty while
driving. As a rule of thumb, always fuel up when you hit 1/4th of a
tank to ensure that you're never too low.
Winterize Your Car
Getting your car winter-ready involves replacing and topping
off all of your fluids, switching out your windshield wipers and exterior
lights, getting new brakes installed, and equipping the vehicle with winter
tires. Your fluids (like oil and antifreeze) will keep your engine running
smoothly, changing your wipers will allow you to see clearly in harsh weather,
brake pads will be crucial to your ability to stop, and the treading on new
tires will reduce your chances of sliding and skidding out. Remember not to go
too cheap on your replacements, as these are the things that will keep you safe
in dangerous conditions. In this case, it pays to go with the best and most
reliable brands like
Nokian snow tires.
The winter is a beautiful season, but it can be a hazardous
one too. If you follow these tips when planning a road trip this winter, you
are more likely to rule the road than end up on the side of it.
Labels: Nokian Snow Tires, the holidays, Winter Driving