British summers are never what we expect; we either have blistering sun, torrential rain or it’s that weird mixture where you find yourself wearing a puffer jacket and shorts simultaneously. Flights are cheap but finding a budget friendly hotel is a nightmare, and staying home while your instagram is full of Ibiza beach snaps is far from ideal. So, why not begin to explore your own backyard – there are so many picturesque towns, beautiful scenes and festivals to see and you just need a car. No crowded airports, no hidden airline fees, and no screaming babies on board. You pack your bags, fill up the car and arrange to collect the rest of your group along the way.
However, once everyone is buckled up and with sausage rolls, crisps and the occasional scotch egg making its way around the car disater strikes – that dreadful flashing light appears on the dashboard. Everyone has an option on what they think the symbol means; oil, coolant, magic lamp from Aladdin? Before you know it, you’re parked up on the side of the road, waiting for assistance with a million more blinking lights flashing like an unwanted Christmas tree.
We’ve all been there before – when the fun of planning that dream road trip overtakes the checks that Mum and Dad warned you about when you first passed your test.
Trust us, you’re not the only one who only thought about the playlist rather than the oil levels; around 1 in 10 young adults admit to not planning their journeys before setting off.
That means that a huge portion of those cars you see on the side of the road are more postponed holiday plans than you thought! To make things even more scary, a whopping 15% have been involved in an accident because of a tyre pressure issue.
We realise that the essential checks before you head off aren’t the highlight of anyone’s day, but with 49% of young drivers planning a holiday over the coming weeks, National Highways is calling on motorists to prepare for their journeys ahead of time – just to make sure the music can stay booming and the squabbles over the last packet of mini cheddars are the only lowlights of your journey. We’re here to ensure that you can have the perfect end to your summer break, so let’s dig into how we can reduce the number of collisions and breakdowns on the roads while the sun is still shining!
Did you know that more than a third (34%) of vehicle breakdowns throughout July and August in 2022[1] were caused by tyre problems, vehicles running out of fuel, loss of power and engine issues? We didn’t either, but we’re so glad National Highways are here to break down the facts for us. They’ve even done us a huge favour and turned all the road trip essential checks into a catchy acronym that will make your next T.R.I.P golden.
The next time you fancy driving along the coast, hiking the hills of the Lake District or exploring glorious views in Edinburgh, be sure that you’ll arrive and depart safely by following our new favourite road safety guidelines:
Top–up fuel, oil and screen wash
Rest and be sure to take a rest break every two hour
Inspect your vehicle by remembering to check your tyre pressure and tread
Prepare yourself and ensure that there’s a plan for all weather conditions
It’s terrifying to think that collisions involving fatigue are most common lately; with approximately 1 in 15 crashes involving drivers being exhausted but still continuing their journeys. National Highways wants to express the sheer danger in deciding to skip a break when on the road.
Whether you take a few at a local rest stop, pause to get a coffee and a bite, or decide to spend a night at a hotel/AirBnB; those small choices can save a lot of car hassles or, sometimes, even a life. Even though there are easy steps to make sure we all get to our destinations safe and sound, 34% of young people admit they have kept driving even when their eyelids start getting heavy. No matter what schedule you have planned, or what you think you’ll miss out on, nothing compares to prioritising the safety of yourself and others around you. Grab yourself a mid journey brew, take a load off and know that you taking a little ‘me time’ will make a world of a difference.
Spending time with those you love doesn’t happen as often as we like so make sure those precious moments are as safe as can be. By following T.R.I.P you’re protecting those you love as well as other drivers on the way. Rest easy knowing that there’s nothing stopping your adventures, and avoid any hiccups that could turn into horrors. Keep planning those awesome car journeys and make memories that will last forever, and be sure that the only sour part is the Tangfastics!
For more information on the T.R.I.P vehicle checklist head online to https://nationalhighways.co.uk/road-safety/TRIP
About the data: Unless otherwise stated, the research was conducted by Censuswide with 2,012 respondents in the UK (nationally representative) between 11.08.2023 – 14.08.2023. Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles and are members of The British Polling Council.
[1] According to 2022 data from National Highways
