4 Hacks to Make Long Drives Safe and Fun

Long drives. They sound exciting, right? But if you’re on the road for 8 – 10 hours, this excitement might eventually wear off. What more if you are planning a longer drive than that. Let’s say from Arizona to Florida, which is a 31-hour drive. Do you think you can handle that without any long distance driving hacks?

Luckily, there are some things you can do to make sure that your next long drive will not just be safe, but a fun experience as well. Whether you are travelling with your friends or family, here are some useful tips to help you survive long distance drives:

Have Enough Sleep and Dress Comfortably
Never ever get on a long road trip without having enough sleep. Much better, if you can get at least 7 – 9 hours of sleep for two consecutive nights before the planned road trip.

Your worst enemy during a long drive is exhaustion. With enough rest and sleep, you can remain efficient on the road for a long time. Moreover, don’t forget to take a break at least once for every few hours. You can take this time to just stand up and stretch your legs.

If you’re in the car with another licensed driver, it would be great to take turns in driving. Not only does this give the driver more time to rest and relax, but it also minimizes the number of driving breaks necessary, since there are two or more persons sharing the driving responsibilities.

One useful tip that every driver should know is to dress comfortably when driving for long hours. Since you are pretty much required to stay in the same position for the majority of the trip, wearing uncomfortable clothing will just add to the burden associated with long drives.

What you can do is to wear loose clothing and shoes specifically designed for driving. You can also just wear normal shoes that you can easily take off, allowing your feet to breathe.

Prepare Your Food and Beverages
Coffee. Unless you’re allergic to caffeine or just can’t’ stand the taste of coffee, no long drives will be complete without this beverage that can be served hot or cold. Drinking a cup of it helps you to be more alert — which is important for long drives.

However, take note that caffeine is diuretic, which means that drinking too much coffee might cause dehydration. Make sure that you control how much caffeine you intake, and have enough sleep — so you won’t have the urge to drink coffee.

If you’re looking for something to quench your thirst, there are a lot of other beverages that you can drink while on the road. From fruit juices to herbal teas, there is definitely something that will suit your taste buds.

However, make sure that even if you are on a long drive, don’t forget to drink enough water. Nothing beats water in keeping a person hydrated all day long. It helps eliminate tiredness and fatigue, and allow your energy levels to remain good throughout the day.

But aside from your beverages, make sure that you bring road trip snacks enough for everyone in the vehicle. If your supplies didn’t last until you’ve reached your destination, there’s nothing to worry about. You can always drop by a convenience store during one of your restroom stops.

For long drives, snacking is important. Not only does snacks satisfy your hunger, but it also fights boredom. Prepare a variety of snacks, and make sure that there is something for everyone. Include the classics such as chocolate bars, potato chips, cookies, and sandwiches. You can also make the selections a little bit healthier by adding some fresh fruits, vegetable chips, and protein bars in your snack checklist.

Play Exciting Car Games
If you’re driving with your family or friends, you can spend the time playing some games. Not only does this make the road trip more fun, it also keeps the driver awake.

There are a lot of car games that you can play with your travelling buddies. One of these is the classic “I Spy” game. It is a simple game where one person picks out an object from the surroundings, then he will say the phrase “ I spy with my little eye…” followed by the clue. Each passenger will then take turns to guess that mystery object. Pretty simple, right? Even if you are with little kids you can play this game, and make the road trip fun for everyone.

Aside from that, there are also other car games you should check out:

• The ABC game

• 21 Questions

• Barn, Bike, Beetle!

• The Movie Game

• Truth or Car-Contained Dare

Plan Ahead and Make Sure That Everything Is Ready
Simply the most important thing to do before doing any big task is planning ahead. Figure out everything that you will need from food to clothing. Make sure that you won’t forget anything, so you don’t end up stressing yourself out about it in the middle of the trip.

It’s good to bring your cards for an easy and safe way of making purchases, but don’t forget to bring enough cash on hand. That way, you won’t have to worry about dealing with stores and gas stations that only accept cash.

More importantly, make sure that your car is ready for a long drive. Check the tires if they are inflated to the correct pressure, ensure that all of the lights (e.g.headlights, hazard lights, brake lights, etc.) are working, and make sure that your braking systems work perfectly.

Make Long Drives Something To Look Forward To
Long drives may sound exciting for both drivers and passengers. But without planning, this adventure can be an unpleasant experience for anyone. With that, keep in mind these 4 road trip hacks, and make your next long drive not just safe, but a definitely fun one!