Understand how to navigate dangerous road conditions with these road trip safety tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey.
You will likely face many road conditions on your next road trip. If you are driving on a bright, sunny day, you probably will not have to worry much. If you watch out for unsafe drivers around you, you will likely reach your destination without issues.
If you encounter dangerous road conditions, exercise caution. Only by doing so can you enjoy your road trip and return home safely.
In this article, we will talk about some of the more dangerous road conditions you’ll likely encounter. We will run through some tips for safely navigating dangerous intersections and mention other behaviors you should engage in when facing other potentially perilous driving situations.
What’s in This Article:
Toggle
Dealing with Dangerous Intersections
You must exercise caution in and around the more dangerous intersections along your route. What makes an intersection dangerous? It is not usually any one particular thing, but several.
An intersection usually becomes more dangerous as more roads converge there. You can generally engage in fairly obvious driver behaviors if two roads intersect. What about when several roads intersect, though?
Complicated intersections can be dangerous. Photo by Sérgio Souza via Pexels
The design of these intersections sometimes makes them inherently dangerous. To remain safe, you must wait until it is your turn to go legally. Know who has the right of way, and do not proceed out into the intersection until you can safely do so.
Some intersections are more dangerous than others because you can’t legally turn right on a red light there. While you can usually turn right on a red light, pay attention to signage. If an intersection is marked “no right turn on red,” you must adhere to the signs. It is usually because visibility is restricted.
If someone is behind you and is honking at you to try to make you turn right on red, ignore them. If you disobey that sign, you risk getting a traffic ticket—or being involved in a serious accident.
If you can legally turn right on red, you might do so, but you still need to proceed with extreme caution. You may have to inch forward past the rows of vehicles on your left to see if any cars are coming.
If you can’t get a clear view of whether you can go, wait for the light to turn green. That way, you will legally have the right of way and can go without feeling trepidation.
Dealing with Rush Hour Traffic
You might also face some rush hour traffic, especially on cross-country road trips. Most drivers would agree that this also constitutes one of the more dangerous traffic situations you might encounter.
If you are driving in a small city during rush hour, your drive might not be as dangerous. However, if you are driving through a larger city—like New York or Los Angeles—during rush hour, the process can quickly turn into a test of your patience and driving skills.
If you must merge onto the highway, try to do it seamlessly. Once you’re on the road, go the speed limit. If you exceed the speed limit, you endanger yourself. If that means staying out of the fast lane, then do that.
Rush hour in cities can quickly become frustrating and challenging. Photo by egdigital via iStock by Getty Images
During rush hour, you might notice that drivers in the fast lane like to exceed the speed limit by an egregious amount. You risk enraging these drivers if you get in the fast lane and drive the speed limit or only exceed it by a few miles per hour.
Instead, stay in the middle lane until it’s time for you to get off at your exit. By doing so and sticking to the same speed, you should make it safely through rush hour and be able to continue with your road trip.
Dealing with Perilous Weather
You may also run into some perilous weather when you’re driving. It’s best to avoid it entirely by checking your smartphone weather app before leaving the house. If you know there’s bad weather coming, you may want to extend your stay in your current location until the weather clears.
Slow down if you have to drive in bad weather to meet a specific schedule. If there’s driving rain, snow, sleet, hail, or fog, going five miles under the speed limit makes sense.
Understanding how speeding impacts all cars on the highway is essential, especially during inclement weather. Photo by Alexander Farnsworth via iStock by Getty Images
Doing so allows you to react if you see a road or traffic condition ahead that you must avoid. You can apply the brakes gently but firmly instead of slamming your foot down on them. Gentle pressure should allow you to stop, even on a slick road.
You can also turn your lights on. This will help you see better in poor conditions and allow other drivers to see you.
You can also consider using your brights if you’re not facing oncoming traffic. If you’re on a busy road, then it’s not appropriate to use them, as you might blind someone driving toward you.
Safely Enjoying Your Next Road Trip
If you obey all of the rules of the road, don’t let anything distract you, and slow down in dangerous road conditions, you should have an exceptional road trip experience. The more you drive and the more different road conditions you experience, the more comfortable you should become. You may never love driving in the rain or heavy traffic, but you can at least do it with some self-confidence.
Now that you have the basics about driving in difficult conditions, we invite you to check out Wander With Wonder for some of our favorite road trips.
.
Please visit:
Our Sponsor