If you are planning a long drive across the country and are wondering how to plan the details, here are some tips to take keep in mind to have an enjoyable and stress free journey:
Keep passengers entertained
Long drives especially with children can often lead to arguments. That kind of aggravation leads to driver fatigue.
So make sure children are entertained with books, puzzles and other time-killing diversions. If your child already has an iPad or portable DVD player make sure they have lots of films and TV shows to keep them entertained. On the flip side, games such as ‘find the license plate’, and classics like ‘eye-spy’ are great for keeping everyone engaged with one another.
Make sure disabled passengers taken car of
If you are travelling with disabled passengers you need to make sure their needs are taken care of. Allied Mobility works with several leading manufacturers to provide a wide range of vehicle conversions to suit your preferences. These are available with bespoke adaptations including seating type and layout, access lifts and ramps, wheelchair restraints and other accessibility feature.
For long journeys especially you need to make ensure your disabled passengers are comfortable and can easily get out of the vehicle when you make stops. Allied Fleet’s folding rear access ramps and electrically operated tail lifts are easy to use and stow away neatly within the vehicle.
Plan your stops
Before you have set off on your journey you should plan where and when you are going to stop to have a break from your drive. You should try make sure that your scheduled stops fall within meal times and can be timed to let you view interesting places.
Also don’t be a hero, lots of drivers try to solider on even if they are very drowsy and this can lead to costly mistakes. Make sure you have a short stop every 4-5 hours even if it just to stretch your legs for a few minutes.
Have plenty of sleep before
Think about exhaustion before you begin your journey, not after. Get at least seven hours of sleep for two consecutive nights before the road trip to build up your energy reserves.
Also, try to avoid driving between 1 and 3pm, when the body’s temperature is lower and people are naturally drowsy. If you are planning to leave in the early hours of the morning then make sure you are asleep by 8pm.
So make sure you follow these steps to make the most out of your journey so you can have an easy ride with no unscheduled stops or issues.