18 #Protips for Road Trips

1. Leave EarlyIt’s always a good idea to leave early in the morning as that helps you avoid the morning office rush or even the regular weekend traffic. If you are living in tropical or semi tropical countries, try and get out about half an hour before the sun comes out as most of these countries usually wake up with the sun.

2. Avoid Rush Hour TrafficIf you are planning to leave on Friday post work for a weekend trip, try to leave before peak hours. Do consider the option of leaving very early Saturday morning, if you don’t manage to leave early enough on Friday.

3. Drive at NightDriving during the night can be tiring but you get the benefit of avoiding traffic.

4. Reach Destinations a Bit EarlyUnless you have your accommodation pre-booked for the night, try reaching your destination for the night before it’s too late. The later it is, the harder it gets to find a place to sleep for the night, especially if it’s a small town in the middle of your road trip.

5. Keep Maps HandyWe all love a bit of adventure but having a map and some prior planning doesn’t harm. We are increasingly using Google maps and GPS, but still there might be times when good old paper maps prove out to be the saviour.

6. Service Your VehicleGet your vehicle serviced before you start out for a long road trip. A serviced car also means better fuel mileage. Check for battery, engine oil, brakes, tyres (including spare), seat belts and lights. Don’t forget to carry a flashlight and a tyre jack.

7. Keep Filling UpDon’t play touch and go when it comes to filling up petrol. Start looking for the next fuel station when gauge is at one-fourth level.

8. Schedule AheadIf you are planning to share the drive, its better to decide the duration and order in advance, just to avoid last minute arguments.

9. Prepare to Play DJEnsure the music player is working and you have enough music to cater to all the passengers and not just yourself. There is nothing worse than others not enjoying the music you are spinning.

10. Be Ready for Nap TimeKeep sleeping bags, blankets and pillows handy for impromptu power naps.

11. Keep Taking BreaksYou are not out to set a distance or speed record. Enjoy the journey. An exhausted driver is as risky as a drunk one. Take short halts to stretch your legs once in a while – everyone, not only the driver. From experience, stopping for 5 – 10 minutes after every hour of driving keeps you fresh and decreases chances of travel sickness.

12. Get Fresh AirWhen you’re in heavy traffic, open your window slightly to reduce carbon monoxide build-up inside the vehicle.

13. Eat WellWhen stopping for a food break, make sure you choose a place that already has people eating – you have a higher chance of getting fresh, hygienic food.

14. Concentrate on the RoadDistraction is of the primary reasons of accidents while driving – be it the blaring music, your kid scratching your ears from the back seat or the amazing landscape around. Whatever it is, it’s extremely important for the driver to concentrate on driving.

15. Pack lightIt leads to higher mileage and helps save fuel. Every extra 50 Kgs cuts up to 2% of your mileage.

16. Mind the Miscellaneous Keep some munchies, sufficient amount of water, napkins, reusable cups and plates, energy bars, spare grocery bags for the trash and some loose change for tolls.

17. Reduce Purchasing of Take Away Food & Drink

Increased packaging (a lot of which is non biodegradable) and it’s eventual disposal increased your carbon footprint. Carrying stainless steel refillable water bottles is an environmentally and economically sound option. Fruits make for healthy and energy inducing snacks on the road.

18. Be Your Own Garbage ManStash a separate grocery bag under the seat to collect recyclable waste such as paper, plastic and glass; these can be recycled later on.

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Image Sources:Cover http://telusers.com/country-road-wallpaper-11016-hd-wallpapers.htmlSlide 3 http://www.traintosweatt.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/waking-up-.jpgSlide 4 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Peak_hour_traffic_in_melbourne.jpgSlide 5 http://www.pxleyes.com/images/contests/roads/fullsize/Night-road-4cad060b6a957_hires.jpg Slide 6 http://a166.phobos.apple.com/us/r1000/074/Purple/9f/c7/75/mzl.hlhxtryr.1024x1024-65.jpg Slide 7 http://ww3.aaa.com/travelviews/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/hi_couple_in_car_5.jpg Slide 8 http://blog.unhaggle.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Car-Service.1.jpgSlide 9 http://www.colourbox.com/preview/2123103-874183-petrol-and-temperature-meters-on-car-dashboard.jpgSlide 10 http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2587/3846351163_a4fd09c8da.jpgSlide 11 http://cdn.howtodjfastmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/being%2Ba%2Bdj_networking.jpg Slide 12 http://s3.amazonaws.com/uncooped_uploads_production/photos/5189/sexy_hotness.jpgSlide 13 http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/23/article-2400919-1B6CD12E000005DC-669_634x448.jpgSlide 14 http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/sundikova/sundikova1009/sundikova100900027/7812649-little-fun-girl-speeds-in-car-near-the-open-window.jpgSlide 15 http://www.fordnewsdiner.com/img/people1_large.jpgSlide 16 http://www.plus961.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/ellina-2.jpgSlide 17 http://www.nicehomelive.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/overloaded-car-447x299.jpgSlide 18 http://www.ldsliving.com/images/stories/large/7678.jpg?1342028285Slide 19 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/5760201455_f6ff41bd41.jpgSlide 20 http://pad1.whstatic.com/images/thumb/4/45/Recycle-Old-Plastic-Bags-Step-12Bullet3.jpg/550px-Recycle-Old-Plastic-Bags-Step-12Bullet3.jpg