6 Driving Tips for Your First Road Trip

Road trips are a lot of fun and they are a great way to get to know the place you’re visiting. When you’re driving on your own, you get a chance to explore the country without having to worry about itineraries and schedules.

It also allows the driver to go off the familiar path and experience the country as the locals do. If you want to have such a trip, you should take the time to prepare and anticipate the problems that you may need to deal with, while abroad. That way you can relax and enjoy your visit.

Prepare The Car

Before going on the road in the first place, you should prepare the car. That way you know that things won’t go wrong while you’re in the middle of nowhere and in a country you’re not familiar with. It’s best to start with tires, fluid levels, and breaks since they tend to wear out as they are used.

A car battery, lights, and other tech features should also be examined before going on a trip. It’s useful to make sure your emergency kit is ready and stocked and that you know how to use all the items contained in it. It takes about a week to do all this so make sure you start ahead of time.

A Permit for Driving Abroad

In order to drive abroad, you’re going to need an international driving permit issued by IDA (International Drivers Association). It’s a document allowing you to rent a vehicle and drive it for a year when in a foreign country. The permit is only valid if you have a national license with you as well, and it too needs to be valid.

A driver also needs to have an ID document on their person the whole time. Driving permits aren’t considered to be such documents and you’re going to need a photo ID such as a passport with you. None of this paperwork covers car insurance, which is another document you’re going to need to provide if stopped while abroad.

Set Up a Budget

It’s important to set up a budget to cover the cost of the trip itself. This doesn’t include the cost of the activities you plan for the visit, which is a separate item. The budget should cover renting the car, getting an insurance policy for it, and gas expenses.

It’s also useful to take into account other, smaller expenses that are also essential for driving in a foreign country. This can include the cost of snacks and water to get you covered if you’re away from a major city, as well as toll charges if any apply.

Time Your Drive Well

Having your own car means you can time your drive as you want to. It’s best to avoid driving at night if you’re not familiar with the area and if you’re not well-rested. An average drive shouldn’t take longer than 2 hours, after which you should take a 20-minute rest.

Try not to drive more than 6 to 8 hours a day, depending on how experienced you are at the wheel and where you’re going. These may seem like a lot of restrictions to put on yourself when you control the itinerary but they are mostly about safety.

Snacks and Refreshments

Make sure you’ve prepared snacks and refreshments before the trip. Use the stops and breaks to restock on these and try to have at least one meal for every person in the car, at all times. Some drivers overlook these since they plan to while making stops and taking a break from driving.
Still, it’s a good backup to have in case something goes wrong and you get stuck far away from a city. There are no rules – pack and eat what you love, just make sure you always have water.

A Playlist

Long drives can be somewhat boring. This isn’t a problem on its own, but it can also affect how focused you are on the road and therefore how safe you are. It’s therefore useful to have a playlist for the ride to keep you occupied and maintain your energy levels. Singalongs are also a good way to keep the kids engaged during the drive.

The playlist can also include podcasts, just keep in mind that listening to conversations can be more distracting than listening to music. If you’re a new driver this may be overwhelming, especially if you’re driving through a big city with a lot of traffic.