Top 7 tips for your summer road trip in 2023

Hitting the wide-open road with friends or family this summer? 

Before you head off, it’s always best to prepare and know your limits on the road to help avoid accidents. 

In fact, car dashcam manufacturer Nextbase has found that one in ten Australians had a car accident in 2021. That’s quite a lot of people if you think about it and typically occurs when people don't plan ahead. 

“A road trip is an awesome way to enjoy the summer with your loved ones. I know my family and I adore them. Key to a great road trip is in the preparation to ensure we travel safely, for both us and other road users”, Reynolds said.

So, with the aim of reducing that figure further (ideally to zero), these are the top seven tips for road safety on your driving holiday - with added expert commentary from Supercar driver and brand ambassador, David Reynolds.

When you already know which way to go, you’ll spend less time looking at your GPS. This means you’ll be able to focus on the road and be more attuned to your surroundings. 

Of course, you’ll likely still need to check your maps. Just don’t spend too long with your eyes glued to the screen!

Plus, planning ahead can remove the added stress of worrying about which exit to take. This could help you avoid making any last-second decisions to change lanes, resulting in an accident. 

To make things even easier, have a trustworthy passenger next to you to sort out directions (along with a road-trip playlist, naturally).

If you don't have a GPS, and you're using your mobile phone, then make sure you remove as many distractions from your phone screen as possible.

Mobile phone use and distracted driving statistics show that mobile phones are a contributing factor in 46% of near crashes. 

Stop, revive, survive. 

Driving is a tiring task, and driver fatigue is a very real issue on the roads. 

According to Nextbase, 19% of Australians will spend more than 8 hours driving to see friends and family around Christmas time. That’s a full day of work!

As part of planning ahead for your trip, make sure you work out where you’ll be stopping at regular intervals on your journey. 

Alternatively, plan when and where you’ll be giving the wheel to a road trip companion so that you can take a break.

While this message has no doubt been hammered into our brains since we were children, it still needs to be said: drinking and driving is straight-up negligent. 

But the rule doesn’t just apply to those drinking over the legal limit. 

Research from Nextbase found that 23% of Australians feel comfortable drinking before driving around Christmas time.

Alcohol is a depressant that can slow down your reactions and your spatial awareness, according to the Centre for Road Safety. 

In fact, you don’t even have to be noticeably drunk for the effects of alcohol to impair your ability to drive. 

“Driving under the influencer is never a good idea, and it’s even harder to not be tempted when you’re spending time among people who are drinking. The best way to keep safe if you’re driving especially around Christmas is to not drink and have a support system to keep to that commitment,” says Reynolds.

So, this summer, don’t drink if you know you’re going to be driving. It’ll keep you and your passengers safer, as well as others on the road.

Making sure your car is up to scratch for your road trip is vital. You don’t want to break down in the middle of nowhere or get a flat tyre on the highway. 

So, plan ahead by taking your car to a mechanic to get it serviced a week or two before you hit the road. 

For extra peace of mind, do some DIY checks of your tyres, brakes, oil and coolant levels, and make sure your head and tail lights are in working order the day before you leave.

Driving drowsy can be as dangerous as driving drunk. 

According to the Queensland government’s StreetSmarts initiative, being awake for 17 hours “has a similar effect on performance as having a blood alcohol content of 0.05.” 

A study from Monash University found that drowsy driving contributes to 72,000 car accidents annually. 

“You can’t let yourself get drowsy behind the wheel, it is just too dangerous for you and whoever you’re travelling with - as evidenced by these statistics,” says Reynolds. “Make sure you’re not letting yourself drive for too long at a time and get enough sleep too. I like to cap my driving stints to about three hours max.”

Instead, have someone else take over the driving while you get some rest on those longer trips. If you can’t, make sure you hop out, stretch your legs, relax, and get a bite to eat (or a coffee) before you take to the highway again.

A study by Monash University found that almost 50% of Australian drivers engage in aggressive driving behaviours when they feel they’ve been slighted on the road. 

These include: 

• Speeding
• Tailgating 
• Dangerous overtaking
• Cutting people off 
• Excessive horn honking 
• Obscene gestures hurled out of the window. 

Ironically, aggressive driving actually multiplies the odds of being involved in a collision 15-fold. 

So, when you’re on the road and you perceive that someone has done the wrong thing, don’t make matters worse by lashing out with your 2-tonne potential death machine on wheels. 

Instead, Reynolds urges drivers on their summer road trips to have some perspective. 

“Hopefully with all your preparation and excitement for the trip you’re able to travel with smooth sailing,” says Reynold. “However, sometimes things don’t go according to plan, or people might get on your nerves on the road. Try your best to curb your rage and keep perspective while you’re away - keep calm and carry on!”

When you’re going to be driving for longer than you usually would, the risk of an accident is compounded. 

By making sure that your car insurance policy is both up to date and will be active for the entirety of your trip, you can actually enjoy your holiday, as opposed to fretting about something going wrong. 

Aside from compulsory third-party (CTP) car insurance being a legal requirement in Australia, it could be worth checking out more comprehensive car insurance policies too. 

Comprehensive car insurance is the highest level of car insurance. Not only are you covered for all the things that CTP and third-party car insurance do, but it can also cover damage to your own car when you’re at fault. 

While the cost of comprehensive car insurance varies depending on personal factors, it’s worth it to compare comprehensive car insurance to see if there’s a policy that works for you. 

Check out some of the current policies and deals on offer below.