When talking about a likelihood of an accident, the statistics are quite simple. The longer the trip takes, the higher the opportunity that something will go wrong. However, this risk may grow exponentially. The longer you drive, the lower your focus gets. Even on an unknown road (when your alertness is supposed to be at its peak), after a while, you’ll be lulled in by a false sense of security. Most importantly, when traveling over a long-distance, your vehicle will encounter different road conditions, different weather occurrences, and more.
With that in mind and without further ado, here are the top four problems you’ll encounter on your journey, as well as a couple of tricks to overcome them.
Limit yourself objectively
What you think you can pull off in terms of long-distance driving is not necessarily what you can pull off. A lot of people use a pretty abysmal reference point, namely, they take their record number of driving hours per day and assume that this gives the idea of how far they can go in a single day. Why is this such a bad idea? Well, because fatigue is often cumulative. Sure, you’ve traveled quite far in a single day but how much did you travel the day after? How many days of rest did you have after this record mileage? You need to be a bit more realistic (even pessimistic) when planning a long-distance trip.
Prepare for the trip
There are three preparation stages you need to undergo in order to be ready for this trip.
- First, you need to make sure your car is in order. Take the car to a mechanic for a checkup and inform them that this is about a road trip. Second, make sure you replace any fluids, check your tires, etc. Third, you want to get yourself a spare key. According to a renowned locksmith from Sydney, getting stranded without a spare key is more common than you would expect it to be.
- The second stage of the preparation lies in your packing for the journey. Rations, security-related items, and the rest need to be tightly packed.
- The last stage is about your mental preparation and planning of the itinerary. You need to know where you’re going so that you can rectify the navigation if it gets carried away or if it miscalculates.
Focus on the road
While this may sound a bit abstract, even ambiguous, the truth is that there are a couple of things you could do to actually improve your ability to stay focused. First, you need to adjust your lifestyle while on the road. Get a good night’s sleep, drink your coffee, and stay hydrated. Take necessary breaks whenever you can and try to make a stop whenever you feel like it. Also, make sure to get yourself proper navigation device, instead of having to rely on your phone for this. Sure, you may not text and drive but just seeing a notification with a corner of your eye could make your mind wander.
With these three things out of the way, you’ll be well-set for any long-distance journey ahead.
Prepare for common roadside occurrences
There are so many things that can happen during a long-distance voyage. For instance, getting a flat tire is nothing unusual and it can happen even if your tires are brand new. So, you need to have the tools and knowledge of how to replace them. Next, your battery may die out of a sudden. You see, unlike your car fluids, your battery is not something that will be checked as often. Moreover, external factors may significantly contribute to its malfunction. In other words, it’s essential that you know how to handle these issues, as well as who to call, do this research in advance.
In conclusion
Keep in mind that a long-distance voyage isn’t necessarily something to be afraid of. In fact, being too tense and fearful can only make things worse. This is why you need to start thinking about problems like obstacles to overcome, not some abstract hazard that’s meant to loom over your head. In other words, by focusing on the solution, you’ll adopt a healthy approach to this subject matter instead of overburdening yourself with worries about factors that you can’t possibly control.
