Road trips are a great option if you are looking for a cheap trip, and they help you really get to know a new place. There are so many great US road trips that you can take if you don’t want to go too far afield, and you will have such an amazing time exploring and discovering hidden gems along the way. But there is a lot of potential for things to go wrong on a road trip, especially if you are driving a long route. A road trip disaster can ruin the whole trip and force you to cut it short, so it’s important that you are well prepared before you leave. These are some of the biggest road trip disasters to watch out for, and how you can avoid them. 

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Breakdowns 

The most obvious disaster on a road trip is a breakdown. If your car fails you when you are on a long stretch of road in the middle of nowhere, you will end up in some serious trouble. However, you can reduce the chances of a breakdown by looking after your car before you go. If you haven’t taken it in for a service for a long while, you should see a mechanic and they will tell you if there is anything to worry about. You can also do some maintenance yourself, like replacing fluids and pumping up the tires, to make sure that the car drives smoothly. One thing that people often forget to check is the windscreen. But even a small chip can turn into a big crack, and that can be incredibly dangerous to drive with. If you do notice a chip or a small crack, call in a company like Michigan Screen & Window Repair and have them fix it for you. Making these small, preventative repairs before you go will help you to avoid any serious breakdowns along the way. But if you don’t check your car over before you leave, you put yourself at risk.

Accidents 

Accidents are another big danger on road trips and they’re often caused by tiredness. It isn’t safe to drive for long periods without a rest, and it can be as dangerous as driving while drunk, so make sure that you take it in shifts. Give yourself plenty of time in the schedule for long rests as well. If you ever feel tired, make sure that you pull over and sleep for a while, even if you hadn’t planned a break yet.

Getting Lost 

Getting lost is always a big risk on road trips, especially if you rely on your phone. Everybody thinks that they don’t need a map until they have no signal or their battery dies and they haven’t got a clue where they are. Phones are great until they aren’t, and then you’ll be wishing you had a paper map. Before you leave, plan your route out carefully and learn to read a map and you can’t go wrong.

As long as you follow these simple tips, you can avoid the 3 biggest road trip disasters.