Most people think of road trips as a summer thing. But the winter time actually can be a nice time for a road trip depending on where you live. With two 3-day weekends in the winter months after the holidays, a lot of people will road trip to their destination for an extended weekend. Traveling in winter, especially on a road trip, has some different elements and things to be aware of then traveling in the summer. Today I’m going to be sharing 5 tips to make road tripping in the winter easier and safer.
1. Bring a Winter Box
Even if you’re not traveling to a wintery destination, you will want to make sure you still pack some winter essentials. We know this from experience! (Check out our podcast next week to hear the full story). So now every time we are road tripping during winter, we always bring a box that holds a pair of boots, a winter coat, and extra hats and gloves for each of us. We have never had to use them, but it definitely brings some peace of mind knowing you’re prepared if you were to get caught in a winter storm while traveling.
2. Get a Winter Check-up for Your Car
Before any long road trip I like to take my car to the local Jiffy Lube or mechanic and get a check up to make sure everything looks good. If you feel comfortable checking things out on your own car go for it! Things to check/look for are tire pressure (don’t forget to check your spare tire too!), windshielf wiper condition (if they’re bad make sure to replace them!), oil level and other fluid levels. We also make sure that we get a full take of gas the day before our trip so we are good to hit the road first thing in the morning.
3. Have Winter Emergency Supplies
In addition to your winter box, there are some good things to keep in your car, especially when traveling during the winter. Extra blankets, Hot Hands, extra hats, gloves and socks, jumper cables, and if you have an older car a few bottles of Heet. Most of these things don’t take up much room and can easily be stored in most cars year-round without too much trouble.
4. Check the Weather Along Your Route
We always check the weather along our route leading up to our travels, especially in the winter. If it is a route you have traveled before, make sure to check the areas that are known to have bad weather or where you would not want to be in bad weather. If weather looks bad, we are willing to readjust our trip to travel earlier or later to miss the storm. We have traveled in many snow storms before when we haven’t checked the weather or when it just couldn’t be avoided. And it is so much easier and less stressful to travel when you have clear roads and good weather.
5. Have an Ice Scraper/Snow Brush in Your Car
Even if you aren’t anticipating travel in the snow, having an ice scraper and snow brush in your car is still a good idea on the off chance that you do run into some snow. It is essential for your safety and for the safety of others to make sure your windows are completely free of ice and snow. Also make sure to completely brush off any snow from the top of your car. It can be very dangerous to other drivers if you drive with snow on your roof. It can blow back and hit cars behind you, making it difficult or impossible for them to see.
