National Road Trip Day: Tips for Driving Safely on the Road

National Road Trip Day is an informal holiday devoted to encouraging Americans to travel by car and take in the country’s scenic highways and byways to kick off summer. To make the most of National Road Trip Day, it’s important to plan your route in advance, check your vehicle to make sure it is in good condition, practice safe driving habits and maintain an adequate level of car insurance coverage.

National Road Trip Day is a holiday aimed at encouraging American drivers and their families to take road trips during the long weekend leading up to Memorial Day — making it the unofficial start of the summer travel season.

Keep reading for more National Road Trip Day safety tips and recommendations on what to do on National Road Trip Day.

On This Page

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  What Is National Road Trip Day?

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  National Road Trip Day History

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  Tips To Prepare for a Road Trip

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  Common Road Trip Disasters

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  What To Do if You Get Into an Accident While on a Road Trip

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  National Road Trip Day at a Glance

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  How To Celebrate National Road Trip Day

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  FAQs

What Is National Road Trip Day?

National Road Trip Day is an unofficial holiday that celebrates hitting the open road — whether you’re traveling near or far. Naturally, drivers commonly take advantage of this holiday by going on road trips — which are popular in the United States due to the flexibility and cost-saving opportunities that can come with traveling by car as opposed to other transportation methods.^[1]

When Is National Road Trip Day?

National Road Trip Day is recognized each year on the Friday before Memorial Day. This year, National Road Trip Day falls on May 22, 2026, allowing drivers to take a four-day road trip lasting until Memorial Day on May 25. The long weekend leading up to Memorial Day is significant because many people consider it to be the start of the summer travel season.^[1]

Why National Road Trip Day Matters

While not every American is aware of or observes National Road Trip Day, the holiday highlights the beginning of one of the busiest travel periods of the year. See the following table for key details to keep in mind as you prepare for National Road Trip Day:

National Road Trip Day History

National Road Trip Day was created by truck stop company Pilot Flying J in 2019. While the company established this holiday to advertise its travel centers and mobile app, the trend of many people starting road trips on this day already existed. For example, in the years leading up to the first National Road Trip Day, Pilot Flying J travel centers experienced a 15% increase in food and gasoline sales on the Friday before Memorial Day.^[1]

The history of road trips themselves dates back to more than a century before National Road Trip Day came into existence. More than 50 years before construction on the Interstate Highway System began, a physician named Horatio Nelson Jackson took the first-ever cross-country road trip in United States history from San Francisco to New York City in 1903.^[2][3]

Jackson was an early adopter of the automobile at a time when cars were still relatively unpopular in the United States. He agreed to drive across the country as part of a $50 bet — although he was never paid, even after completing his trip.^[3]

Jackson was accompanied by a mechanic named Sewall K. Crocker and a goggles-wearing bulldog named Bud, which he had purchased in Idaho to be the mascot for the 63-day journey.^[3]

Tips To Prepare for a Road Trip

As you plan your road trip before hitting the road this summer, be sure to take steps like these:^[4]

1. Ask a trusted friend, neighbor or family member to house-sit for you — or to at least come by often enough to pick up your packages and make your house look lived in.
2. Remember to lock all your doors and windows before you leave, and make sure your home security system is working properly.
3. Inspect your car’s parts — including your tires, batteries, fluids, belts, hoses, brakes and lights — to ensure they are in good condition.
4. Pack an emergency kit to keep in your car.
5. Fill up your gas tank before you begin your trip, and map out your route so you will know where you can get more gas or food along the way.
6. Bring plenty of snacks and water — especially for longer trips.

Common Road Trip Disasters

Many different things can go wrong on a family road trip, so it’s important to maintain various types of car insurance to protect against major financial losses in the event of a road trip disaster. In the following table, you’ll see examples of potential problems you could encounter on your road trip and which type of auto insurance would cover each of them:

What To Do if You Get Into an Accident While on a Road Trip

You need to take the following steps after a car accident that occurs while you are on a road trip:^[5]

1. Pull over to a safe place to avoid stopping traffic and putting yourself or others at risk of further injury.
2. Call 911 so first responders can treat anyone who is injured and police officers can fill out a report about the crash.
3. Exchange license plate, driver’s license, insurance and contact information with others involved in the collision.
4. Communicate with any witnesses to see if they can share any details about what they saw, and ask for their contact information.
5. Get in touch with your insurance agent or another representative from your insurance company for guidance on how to file a claim.

National Road Trip Day at a Glance

1. National Road Trip Day is an unofficial holiday devoted to celebrating road trips — including how traveling by car can be cheaper and allow you to have greater control over your trip than other modes of transportation.
2. Every year, National Road Trip Day is observed on the Friday prior to Memorial Day. Many people consider this four-day weekend to be the unofficial beginning of the summer road trip season.
3. Pilot Flying J came up with National Road Trip Day to promote its travel centers and mobile apps in 2019. Of course, many drivers already took the opportunity to go on road trips during Memorial Day weekend before the holiday was established.
4. A physician named Horatio Jackson, a mechanic named Sewall Crocker and a bulldog named Bud took the first coast-to-coast road trip in American history in 1903.
5. Before leaving for a vacation on National Road Trip Day, it’s important to make sure your home is secure, check your car for signs of damage or wear and tear, fill up on gasoline and pack any items you will need for your trip.
6. Auto insurance can protect you against numerous potential road trip disasters, such as bodily injuries, vehicle damage, liability lawsuits, storm damage and flat tires.

How To Celebrate National Road Trip Day

Naturally, the best way to commemorate National Road Trip Day is to hop in the car, roll down the windows and take a safe and successful road trip. This requires practicing safe driving habits, such as paying attention to the speed limit, keeping a safe distance between yourself and other vehicles, refraining from distracted driving and taking breaks at rest areas or allowing someone else to drive if you start to feel drowsy.

You may want to plan your route in advance so you can avoid roads that are more likely to be dangerous. In general, minor car accidents are more common on urban roads, but collisions are more likely to be deadly on highways and rural roads.^[6][7] Along with prioritizing safety, it’s also a good idea to plan fun travel activities, such as listening to a playlist or playing car games.

Ultimately, road trips offer you a great chance to go on an adventure and make unforgettable memories with your loved ones. Try to make the most of the journey by visiting national parks and other unique destinations along the way. Since National Road Trip Day is close to Memorial Day, it may also be appropriate to visit war memorials or similar landmarks during your trip.