Summer Road Trip Safety Tips

The warm weather and longer daylight hours make summer the perfect time to plan a road trip. Whether you’re heading out on a solo adventure or spending quality time with family or friends, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of freedom that comes from navigating the open road. However, it’s important to take the necessary steps to make your trip as safe as possible.

Before getting behind the wheel, it’s a good idea to review the safety tips our New Jersey personal injury lawyers at Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C., have provided below. Taking the right precautions can go a long way in keeping you, your passengers, and other motorists out of harm’s way while you enjoy your travels.

Properly Prepare Your Vehicle

The first thing you want to do is make sure your vehicle is in good enough shape to go on a long road trip. There’s nothing worse than getting stranded on the side of the road in unfamiliar territory or having something malfunction as you’re driving. Both of these scenarios can turn into very dangerous situations. It’s best to schedule an inspection and tune-up with your mechanic, who will be able to tell you the condition of your car. Here is a basic maintenance checklist to properly prepare your vehicle:

• Check the tread on your tires and their pressure, and ensure you have a spare.
• Inspect the brake pads for significant wear.
• Make sure your air conditioning is working to avoid overheating.
• Test that the windshield wipers work correctly in case you hit a summer rainstorm.
• Examine all fluid levels, and change or top off wherever necessary.

Create a Driving Plan

Next, you should take the time to create a driving plan to your destination. Researching your route will allow you to account for the right amount of rest and can help to keep you from hitting potential hazards along the way. It’s crucial that you map out your course to give you plenty of time to take breaks, as driver fatigue causes many serious car accidents. In addition, you should always have physical maps with you in the event that your GPS fails or your mobile device loses service.

Unfortunately, no matter how safe you are or how much thought you put into planning your travels, someone else’s careless actions could cause an accident. In the event you’re involved in a collision while out on your road trip, contact Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C., to inquire about possible compensation for your injuries. Call our New Jersey car crash lawyers at (609) 240-0040 to schedule an appointment.