advice on traveling by road in the USA?

Question

Hi fear friends, I and my wife are planning to go on vacation soon, we will drive our own car and will visit several towns in different states across the U.S. What important telephone numbers/information can you recommend us to take in case of emergencies like the car breaking down on road or any other assistance that we might need while traveling by our own car? Thank you very much in advance. Sincerely, Passenger

Answer 1

Hi we take a month long road trip each year here in the US. Here are some things that I have learned from my travels:

Phone Numbers: If it is an emergency such as an accident, trauma ect… You will want to dial 911. In the US that is the emergency number for most of the police stations…However, not all small towns are on the 911 system so I recommend contacting the cell phone company. They also usually have emergency numbers, one for roadside assistance and one for major emergencies. I would also speak with them about traveling; they sometimes have a roadside assistance plan that you can purchase on your phone. Also they might be able to help you with such things as roam. I would also recommend joining a roadside service club such as AAA. It can be very useful! Also most states have a sign when you first enter them that have a state trooper number such as *564, write this down on the map, could come in handy. Make sure you have the numbers for your insurance (both car and medical) and family members in case of an emergency and contact phone numbers for you Credit Cards and cell company. Now this part sounds silly but….write those phone numbers down! Yes I know they are in the phone but, what happens if the phone gets lost or stole???? You might not remember all those numbers in a crisis!

Credit Cards: Contact your credit card company and let them know that you will be traveling, and give the approx states that you will be in. We did not do this on our first one and they froze our account because they thought it could be fraud. Took a while to get straighten out! Also again sounds silly but, write down your CC purchases just like you would a checkbook balance. We had an issue were our card got stole and we were able to tell them every purchase made on the trip, every day ect… Really made things go a lot quicker and easier in the recovery process!

Cash: I would carry some cash, it does come in handy and hey not all parking garages/lots take CC’s. I would also suggest some traveler’s checks, write the numbers down, same as cash and well if they are lost or stolen they can be replaced. Never hurts. Also make sure the cash is split, do not have one person carry ALL of it. You never know and you never can be too safe!

Car: Get everything checkout! Tell the mechanic that you are going on a cross country trip; they will do a mini inspection. Have your oil changed, fluids topped off, tires checked and make sure you check the spare and everything needed to change it. Don’t want to get stuck with out the proper tools. We made sure to have our oil changed on the trip, of course if you do not go 5, 00 miles roundtrip this will not be an issue. If you are driving through the desert, do not run your AC the whole time. Make sure you turn it on and off or else the car might over heat.

Emergency and First Aid Kit: This is a must! Always be prepared just like the Boy Scouts say. Make sure you have and emergency kit, with flashlights, extra batteries, extra fuses, a blanket, a few basic tools like a screwdriver and even Fix It Flat. I might also recommend bringing extra water, a help sign and roadside flares or maybe a safety vest in case you have to change your tire. We want people to see you! First Aid Kit…we don’t want any accidents to happen but, in case one does you want to be prepared. You can buy them pre-made or you can make one up yourself if you have some of these supplies. You should have band Aids, Cotton, Gauze, Medical Tape, Aspirin, Hot and Cold packs, scissors, burn cream, and antiseptic cream. I might also recommend some cold/sinus meds if you have issues with this and maybe something like Tums or Rolaids and also matches or a lighter.

Maps: Make sure you have the most updated maps! I also recommend checking out the states websites that you are going to and seeing what construction and road closures there are. It just makes traveling way easier!!! Look over them before you go and write anything important near the places that they are located. Also a lot of states have a place on their website where you can look up rest stops. Does take a little research to find, but I have done it and it helps a lot!!!

Documents: Make sure you take your insurance card and a copy of it. That way if one gets lost you have a back up; put the backup in your luggage. I also take a copy of my driver’s licenses and again put it in my luggage. If you are traveling from Canada, or Mexico, I don’t know what the changes in coming across the boarder are. However I would bring a copy of my birth certificate and another form of ID. Again just to be safe. If you have a medical condition, take meds (put the dose), or are allergic to anything write/type this out and keep it in your wallet, purse ect…If a crisis happens this is very helpful! Again we don’t want anything to happen better to be over prepared. Make sure you have your medical, dental and perscription insurance cards. I also make copies of these and keep them in my suitecase. Make sure you copy the front and back of the card.

Cooler/Food/Drinks: This serves 2 purposes, first it save a ton of money. Second well in case you get stuck or stranded you have food and drinks. I don’t know if you are concerned about your budget but, there are plenty of places to stop and have a picnic. There are several roadside parks and most of the rest stops have at the very least picnic tables. We make it a point to eat at least one “cooler” meal a day. You might have to stock up from time to time, still cheaper than eating out all the time and gives you more money to spend.

State Information: Each state has their own visitor’s website if you contact them they will send you out a visitor’s packet for FREE! This comes with tons of information, maps and COUPONS!! I love coupons saves you a lot of money on the trip. If you know some of the cities you are going to contact their chamber of commerce they have visitors packets as well. I do this for every trip we take and it is so helpful. You can even email them and ask more questions!! They are like free travel agents!

Well I hope this helps you, it has taken me years of road trips to figure out what “prepared” is. I have learned that you never can be totally prepared!  There is so much to see across the US, and well on the road you just never know what you will find. I don’t know what routes you are planning but, I suggest finding back highways and traveling them. You see so much more than if you were just on an interstate! Good Luck and have a great trip!

Answer 2

I would get a car and drive. That way you can go where you want, when you want. You can see whatever you want. And right now the price of petrol is fairly low. Stay away from the coach system, Greyhound, unless you want want to rub elbows with the huddled masses. OK, I'm a snob. Of course you could take a guided tour coach of the US, but then you go where they want to take you. Amtrak, the train system, will get you some places, mainly major cities, but not all the places you are going to want to go. You are going to end up hiring a car anyway. It just isn't like in Europe where you can get anywhere. And so many of the wonderful things to see are not in cities. So hire a car with a navigation system and get a good guide book.

Answer 3

Before you finalize that decision you may want to rent National Lampoons "VACATION" with Chevy Chase,Beverly DeAngelo, and Randy Quaid.It is the story of the Griswold family's road trip to Wally World. What is that smell from the back seat anyway?

Answer 4

*Make sure you and your wife know how to change a tire
*Keep an up-to-date map with you or mapquest your trip
*Make sure you have cash on hand just incase you got somewhere that doesn't take cards.
*Watch your Rest area signs, sometimes it can be 50 miles or more between them.
* get an oil change before you leave and make sure all your fluids are good and filled and your tires are in good shape to drive long distances
*bring a jug of water and a can of oil for Just in Case emergencies.
* Watch your gas levels
* if you like listening to the radio think of bring a book on tape or stories on tape
*bring snacks and bottled water to keep you going

and above all have a great and safe trip!

Answer 5

Buy an AAA membership and keep the numbers with you when you travel. Have a great trip.

Answer 6

Use a car