Going on an RV trip across the country is one of the best ways to bond with those you love. You can enjoy the adventure a lot more if you don’t have to worry about potential issues with safety. Here are five ways to safely plan your RV trip across the country to make sure that you get the best possible time while out and about.
1. Rest Well Before the Trip Starts
Getting enough rest is crucial for a safe trip because it can ensure that you focus on the road and you also enjoy yourselves. On roadways in the United States, over 38,000 people die in crashes every single year, bringing the traffic fatality rate to 12.4 deaths per 100,000 people in the population. With this in mind, make sure that everyone sleeps early enough for the days leading to the trip so that they rest well and are fresh for the trip.
2. Pack Light
While you want to make sure that you are comfortable on your RV trip and you travel safely, there’s no need to carry a lot of things with you. Doing so could make it harder for you to find things that you need while on the road trip. It will also mean that you have many more things with you than you need. This goes for clothes, shoes, toys, and even equipment that you may not use in any way. Plan well to make sure that you have only the items that you will use during the trip and no more so that there’s more room to relax while on the road.
3. Plan Your Route Ahead of Time
Next, remember to plan your route before you start so that you have a good idea of where you are going to pass and what you will do. Plan for the rest stops that you will need and make sure that they are spaced out well enough to ensure maximum comfort, especially if you will be taking children along with you. To travel safely, it’s important to make sure that the driver has enough time to catch a break or two so they are fresh throughout the trip. In the United States, there are 28 million drivers who are uninsured, according to Money Geek. This means that you are better off taking extra care not to wind up in an accident as you never know who will be involved and how things will go afterward.
4. Consider the Weather
The weather can have a massive effect on your RV trip across the country. This is because it’s no secret that harsh weather can make it harder to travel safely by introducing hurdles to safe driving. Rain and snow are the two most dangerous weather conditions to drive in, so if there’s a forecast for either in the near future, you may want to put your road trip off. It will be safer to postpone it to a future date or try your best to plan around the harsher weather events. Generally, it’s best to set your road trip for the summer as there may be long periods of good weather throughout.
5. Service the RV
Finally, your RV will be safer to travel with if you perform an inspection and service it just before you set out. Remember that the oil in an RV needs to be changed at roughly the same rate as for a regular car. This is a minimum of once every year or around every 4,000 to 6,000 miles but it varies if you drive a high-mileage vehicle, use synthetic oil, or have an older RV.
Use these five tips to travel safely across the country in your RV and enjoy the scenery. The best memories are most often those that you make on a safe trip after all!