Never forget what mom told you. Do not drink and drive. Make sure that your head is clear to handle the obstacles of the road ahead. Sure the path that you may be trudging in is smooth and straight with little concern for traffic but a hazy mind and a blurred vision can as easily get you into trouble. Just one erroneous swerve may place you and your car in front of a big old tree trunk and give you a ride away from your destination vacation and straight to the hospital emergency room. Alcohol in no way is safe in a driver's hands and drugs are not far away either. Stay away from medications that could cause drowsiness or disorientation. Make sure to check the label before you pop in that pill in your mouth.

If you are feeling faint midway, listen to your body. Do not think that you can simply disregard fatigue and go on. The advice is to switch and let another person drive. This is why it is also recommended that you do not travel alone. If the other person should lack in driving skills then take a rest and pull over. A short nap should be able to do the trick. Or if you want, you can get out and stretch those cramped muscles by walking around; anything to wake up and revive your energy levels. One cause of drowsiness is heavy meals so go for light snacks and meals on long trips. The fuller you are, the sleepier you will be.

You need to be up and about when you are driving because you need to keep your eye on the road. Again, one small false move could mean disaster. A driver needs to know where he is at and what he is doing. His safety and the safety of his passengers are in his hands. Keep other distractions at bay. One common cause of car accidents these days are foolish cell phone owners who answer calls and send in text messages while driving; a definite no-no. If you must, stop and pull over.

As for your car, it should be in no less than tip-top shape. Check your vehicle's engine before stepping into the gas pedal. Better yet, visit the mechanic and get a tune up beforehand. It is recommended that you go for engine performance maintenance every few months to ensure that your car is running well. Also check on the safety features of your car. This includes the airbags, seatbelts and safe crumple zones. Knowing that your vehicle is in good condition would give you more peace of mind and would put you and all other motorists on the road at minimum risk. And if ever you should get into car trouble along the way, be prepared with your warning signs. Turn on your hazard lights and set up your warning devices a good distance from your vehicle.