I love to drive. I used to not think twice about hoping in my car and just driving anywhere. Once my best friend and I had a four day weekend off from our jobs. We hoped in my car and just drove. We had no destination in mind and no maps to rely on. We ended up in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts. We visited the place where Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is made, saw a movie, took an old fashioned train ride, went whale watching and stayed at a bed & breakfast (which are clearly made for couples on a romantic vacation, not two best friends. Ha Ha). Another time we were going to an amusement part in NJ and ended up in Virginia Beach for a few days instead.

Years ago, before my husband and I met, I dated a guy who lived  a 6 hour car ride away. I would drive to his home EVERY WEEKEND. Every Friday after work I would get in my car and drive to his house upstate. I’d stay there until late Sunday afternoon then make the 6 hour drive back home.

With all the driving I have done over the years I have learned a few tips and tricks along the way that I would like to pass along to my readers.

Be aware of who is around you - When you are out and about on your own be aware of the people around you. Is there a suspicious man hanging out near your car? Is there a group of kids that keep looking in your direction? When you are going to your car, especially alone at night, be EXTRA conscious about your surroundings. I have heard horror stories about people, especially women, getting murdered, raped or kidnapped because they were getting in their car and were not paying attention to their surroundings.

Keep your keys handy – When you are leaving your home or office to get into your car have your car keys in your hand BEFORE leaving the building. That way you don’t have to waste valuable time fumbling through your bag looking for them in the event someone is trying to attack you. Digging through your purse looking for your keys while at your car only makes you an easier target for would be attackers.

Keep emergency supplies in your vehicle – Keep safety and emergency supplies in your vehicle. Items like a first aid kit, flares, spare tire, blankets, rock salt or kitty litter (to melt ice), a change of clothes, non-perishable foods (like granola), water, flashlight and other items you might need in case of an emergency. When packing your emergency supplies think about all the different scenarios you might be faced with such as being stranded in a hot desert or a blizzard, car emergency supplies and emergency supplies for your children (change of clothes, extra diapers and wipes, toys…). You never know when you might need them. Use a box to keep your supplies neat and accessible.

Go to a public location if you are being followed – If you suspect you are being followed immediately drive to a public location where there are a lot of people. If possible find a Police station, State Trooper barracks or Fire Department to pull your car into. A would be attacker will be discouraged if you are in a public location where people can see what is going on and can easily identify him/her. I had to do that once when I was coming home from upstate. I was being followed. I drove my car to a coffee shop that I found off the first exit on the highway. I waited there for a while until the car went away. I was really scared.

Make sure your cell phone is fully charged and easily accessible – If you have a cell phone make sure it’s always fully charged and you know where it is at all times. If possible buy a charger that will allow you to charge your cell from your car. This will help you should you feel like you are being followed (call 911!) or if your car is stuck or disabled and you need assistance. Make sure you are off the road before calling. In many states it is illegal to use the cell phone when driving. It’s also a good idea to keep important numbers in your phone’s address book, or keep a small address book in your car’s glove compartment. Just numbers, not addresses. You wouldn’t want someone to have that information should your car get stolen or broken into.

If you are feeling tired or not feeling well get off the road! – I cannot tell you how many times I have heard people tell me about how tired they were when they were driving. That is VERY dangerous! Not only for you but also for the other people on the road. I used to be guilty of driving while tired. I used to work two part time jobs, attend college full time and did volunteer work, all while trying to maintain a relationship and a social life. If I had 3 or 4 hours of sleep in total per day it was a lot. Many times I was driving while I was very tired. I can tell you from experience things like rolling down the windows, blasting the AC or blasting music and singing at the top of your lungs DO NOT WORK! Nor does several cups of coffee. If you are tired DON’T DRIVE! Pull over in a safe public place, like a mall or grocery store parking lot, and take a cat nap until you feel refreshed and about to drive with a clear mind. If you are feeling sick you should also pull over until you feel better.

Don’t get distracted! – I’m a mom. I know what it’s like to have kids fighting in the backseat, music blasting, babies crying, things being spilled or dropped. It’s a part of life. But keep in mind you are responsible for the vehicle you are driving. In a spit second you can end your life or the lives of others. I know most people think they can easily and safely drink coffee while driving, eat while driving and things like that but you’ll be surprised at home quickly a car or child can appear in front of you and being distracted by the delicious food or thirst quenching beverage. Years ago I heard of a police officer who had an accident on the parkway because she was speeding and eating FRIED CHICKEN! Oh my goodness! How insane! And she was an officer. While I’m out and about I have seen people texting, reading maps, applying make-up, turning around to look in the backseat, bending down to pick something up and a variety of situations that make my heart stop! Once when my family was coming home from NYC there was a man drumming on his steering wheel with REAL drum sticks WHILE driving! He also had music blasting and he was dancing around. He was totally distracted!

Make sure you have an emergency road service- Before you hit the road it’s a good idea to have an emergency road service available to you whenever you might need them. I learned that lesson the hard way. Even if you rarely have a need for it is a good idea to have something just in case you get a flat tire, run out of gas or your transmission decides it wants to die on you. If affording an emergency service is an issue, or you feel like you don’t want to be committed to something long term, you should look into a service like the one Allstate offers.  It’s called the Good Hands Roadside Assistance program. The great thing about the program is that you don’t need to have Allstate insurance to use this service. There are also no monthly fees. You only pay when you use the service. You can call at any time and use this service when needed by calling 1-800-ALLSTATE and asking for roadside assistance.

If you pre-register for the Good Hands Roadside Assistance it will provide faster service when you need it. People who pre-register receive a welcome kit in the mail containing a window cling, wallet card, key fob and a number to call for roadside help.

If you have multiple drivers in your family (spounse, teen…) you can also register for up to 5 users on your account.

Don’t speed! – You may THINK you are shaving off a lot of time when you are going 10-20-30+ miles over the speed limit. You are not! At best you save a couple of minutes. Trust me, I know. I used to have a “lead foot” (that is what my mom called it). I had so many speeding tickets that I was in jeopardy of getting my license taken away. Now, as a wife and a mother I drive the speed limit or under the speed limit because I want to make sure I am always here for my family. FYI… crying does not get you out of a speeding ticket, nor does telling an officer you have to go to the bathroom. I tried to talk myself out of many tickets. I even tried to fight a few of them in court. It rarely works. It took me a few years to realizing that SPEEDING KILLS! Whether it’s yourself or someone else. Getting some place a few minutes earlier is NOT worth risking your life, or the lives of others. If you have a habit of running late set the clocks in your home 10-15 minutes early so that you trick your mind into making you leave for work (or where ever) earlier so that you are not running late and tempted to speed.

Leave the bad mood at home! – If you are having a really bad day and you are ticked off at the world that LAST thing you want to do is get behind the wheel of a car. Road Rage KILLS! If possible have someone else drive you, reschedule your appointment or don’t leave until you are feeling more calm and relaxed. Driving while you are in a bad mood is not healthy. The first time a driver cuts you off or you get stuck in traffic you are going to explode. You can get yourself into a lot of trouble that way, not to mention stress like that is not good for your overall health either.

Make sure you have money/change – It’s a good idea to keep a few dollars and some quarters (change) on your person when you are driving (never leave money in a car!). That way you have money to buy something to eat or drink should you get stuck some where. Having change will also help in case you need to make a phone call. Believe it or not there are still some pay phones available. Back in January I had to use one from the airport when my cell phone died and I needed to reach the car service. Thank goodness I had some change left. Not much but enough to call my husband so he could call the car service for me.

These are just a few of my personal safe driving tips. If you have any tips to keep you safe when you are on the road I would love to hear about them. Please feel free to comment with your safety tips.

Kimberly

*This is a compensated post. Any opinions expressed are my own.

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