Road trip - make your holiday journey a good one

Plan ahead for the journey. Enter the destination into your GPS before you leave. Check the route for obstructions or road maintenance, using, for example, road user reports in Waze. Also, check for weather that can affect road conditions. Then allow for sufficient travel time with rest stops.

Pack plenty of drinks and snacks. Don’t forget important items like your driver’s license, medical aid card, and passports if travelling to a neighbouring country.

On the road
Drive with the intention to avoid an accident or incident. This means that you should stay alert to the actions of other road users, and adjust your driving to minimise risks. Make sure that you are well rested before the journey begins, stay hydrated, and take enough breaks from driving – either stopping for a rest or allowing another driver to take over. 

Don’t drive if you are impaired due to tiredness, alcohol or medication. Stick to the speed limit, practice courteous road use and avoid distractions such as using your mobile phone. Don’t overtake by a solid white line – it means that you are on a blind rise or corner where you won’t be able to see approaching vehicles or by a road crossing where another driver could turn in front of you. Also, be careful not to drive over anything that could damage your vehicle.

Avoid stopping on the side of the road, even at roadside picnic areas. Rather take a break at a service station. If you’re stopping to admire the view, be aware of your surroundings and make sure you park safely off the road. Close the windows and lock the doors before you walk away from your car.

Keep yourself and your passengers entertained with some car games, like the old favourite “I spy”, or spotting different animals along the way with a point allocated to the person who spots an animal for the first time. The person with the most points at the end of the trip wins. Make the journey festive with a favourite music playlist. Also, a little screen time is a good distraction for the kids.

In case of an emergency
Make sure you have all important and emergency contact numbers with you. Pack a first aid kit, including essential medications. Have an emergency contact number of someone not travelling with you available for first responders, written down on a piece of paper rather than stored on your phone, which needs to be unlocked to use. Perhaps share your journey or live location with a family member or friend. Also, consider subscribing to Tracker CareGuard, a service offering rapid emergency and medical response at the press of a button.