There are many reasons why you might take a long road trip. You could travel to see family or explore new places. However, no matter why you are traveling, it is very important that you keep yourself safe. When you’re on a long road trip, you’re isolated in your car for a long time. You need to take steps to ensure that you have a safe, comfortable trip to your destination. Here are four ways to stay safe on long road trips.

Take Regular Breaks

No matter how anxious you are to get to your destination, you need to take breaks as you go. If you drive for too long without a break, you are going to get fatigued and lose focus. This can put you at risk of a car accident. About 80% of car accidents can be attributed to driver inattention. This means that one moment of spacing out can put you in danger. The more tired you are, the more likely you are to lose focus or fall asleep. This can be extremely dangerous.

Make Sure Your Car is Safe to Drive

Before you start to travel, you need to make sure that your car will get you to where you need to be. Bring it in for maintenance before you go. Make sure that everything is working as it should and that you won’t have to deal with any surprises along the way. If your current car is unsafe to drive, it might be worth considering buying a new one before your trip. In 2021, the off-road vehicle market was $14.81 billion. The used car market is also very strong. So you might be able to get a better car for a good price. Regardless of what you decide to do, your car needs to be in good shape. Otherwise, it could break down along the way. Then you’ll be stuck figuring out repairs in an unfamiliar place, which can be expensive and dangerous.

Don’t Drink and Drive

It is very likely that you will stop at restaurants and hotels along the way as you travel. If you’re driving, you need to make sure that you don’t drive drunk at any point. This is extremely dangerous and can put both you and the other drivers on the road in peril. If you decide to have a beer with dinner, make sure that you are drinking safely. In California, the legal blood alcohol limit is 0.08%. Anything above that is considered drunk driving, which can get you arrested. You’re better off not taking any chances, especially if you’ve been driving for a while and are tired.

Keep Your Phone Charged

You should pack a portable charger and make sure that your phone remains fully charged throughout your entire trip. You can either plug it into your car or use the portable charger in order to keep it working. If you end up in a dangerous situation, you want to be able to call for help. You also want to be able to use your phone for things like directions. If you let your phone die without any way of charging it as you travel, you’ll have no way of calling for help if things go wrong.

Long road trips can be a lot of fun. You get to see new places and spend time on the road. However, they are not without risks. If you want to have a successful road trip, it is important that you keep yourself and your travelers safe. Take the suggestions on this list and keep them in mind as you plan and begin your next road trip.