Winter can be a great time to take a picturesque road trip. These adventures can also come with problems as the weather can make for tricky driving conditions.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to ensure winter road trip safety. Here are seven tips to help you stay safe when road-tripping in the winter.
Tip 1: Check Your Vehicle
Before your road trip, make sure that your car is ready to roll. This involves examining the brakes, tires, battery, and lights among others. Batteries should also be checked because they usually fail in cold weather. This is also the time to change your winter tires with enhanced traction on ice and other slippery road surfaces during this time of the year.
It is important to have a good car when you are heading out for your winter road trip. Opt for the Best Car Rental Service in UAE. They have a fleet of vehicles specifically designed for winter. You will have an enjoyable journey in a car that is well–maintained regularly.
Tip 2: Pack An Emergency Kit
It is advisable to have an emergency kit in a rented car and be ready for the unknown. These are vital necessities that should entail a first-aid box, blankets, flashlights, additional batteries, foodstuffs, and lots of water. Items such as shovels, ice scrapers sand, or kitty litter should be considered if one will be driving in some remote areas.
Tip 3: Monitor Weather Conditions
Ensure you check out the daily forecasts of all the places along your way. In case you receive information about an upcoming snowstorm/extreme cold, do not hesitate and plan to change the date of the excursion. In some cases, if you rent a car on https://renty.ae/city/sharjah/khorfakkan, you can reschedule it beforehand. However, contact your credible rental dealer.
Ensure that you are mindful of the road conditions and the possible road closures if it becomes necessary for you to travel. Always carry your weather app along with you, or get live updates on weather patterns from a local source such as a radio station.
Tip 4: Plan Your Route
Planning your winter road trip route is crucial. Only travel through main roads and highways as these routes are usually well-deiced compared to others.
You should also share your travel itinerary with a friend or family member as well as how long you are likely to stay at each stop. This way a person knows at what point or place to start searching in case you do not reach your destination.
Tip 5: Slow Down & Leave Space
You must change your driving style when taking winter road trips. Slow down and be at a safe stopping distance to provide you with enough time to brake.
The roads may be slippery and unexpected stops may result in accidents. While rental cars may be insured, keeping your distance between yourself and the car ahead of you is one of the major points of caution.
Tip 6: Bridges & Overpasses Freeze Before Roads
Regular roadways generally take longer to freeze compared to bridges and overpasses. Treat them with extreme care because you could find yourself stepping on the ice for no apparent reason in some parts whereas others have nothing wrong. Be sure to also slow down while passing through them so that you don’t have to make quick lane changes.
Tip 7: Keep Your Fuel Tank Full
Having a full gas tank is more than a simple comfort, it may very well save one’s life in winter. Therefore, should you find yourself lost or stuck on the road and it is possible, try to leave your car’s engine on so that you may have some means of survival. It would be prudent to always have a minimum of half of the tank filled with gas.
Winter road trips could turn out to be a great travel experience; however, safety should always come first. These seven tips will help you minimize the danger of winter driving while maximizing a pleasurable travel experience.
Check your car and have an emergency kit, watch the weather, plan your route, drive carefully on bridges, and remain fueled up. With such winter road trip safety measures taken into consideration, you are well-positioned to have an exciting, stress-free, and unforgettable, winter road trip using a rental car.
Can you think of any other winter road trip safety precautions that we missed? Leave them in the comments!
