2024 Road Trip Guide To Saving, Staying Safe and Having Fun

Families and friends across the country regularly take to the roads to sightsee, visit relatives or simply experience America’s natural beauty. If you’re planning a road trip, pick out your itinerary as early as possible to reduce travel stressors and ensure you’ve got the right car insurance coverage in case of an accident or emergency.

Keep reading for tips on planning your road trip, cutting your costs while traveling and how to prepare against issues you may run into while on the road.

On This Page

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  How To Prepare for a Road Trip

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  How To Save Money on a Road Trip

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  Common Road Trip Disasters

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  FAQs

How To Prepare for a Road Trip

Roughly 75% of Americans plan on taking a road trip this summer, with most trips being within a 250 mile radius of their home. With more people on the road, the likelihood of getting into an accident increases, especially if you’re traveling on the weekends or for sporting events.^[1] Keep the below considerations in mind when preparing for a road trip.

Update Your Car Insurance Policy

Generally, your auto insurance policy will follow you across state lines, and you’ll still remain covered while traveling even if the state has higher limits. Many insurers will even cover you if you drive your car from the U.S. to Canada.^[2] However, if you’re traveling to Mexico instead, you will likely need to purchase a Mexican tourist auto insurance policy if you want coverage while driving.^[3]

You may also want to buy optional riders depending on where you’re going. For example, if you don’t already have it, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may be a good purchase if you’re driving through in a state where a considerable portion of drivers are uninsured, such as New Mexico (24.9%) or Mississippi (22.2%).^[4]

In addition, while most auto policies cover people who drive your car with your permission, such as a friend who is joining you on your road trip, you should still double-check with your insurer if your policy includes permissive use coverage.

Consider Roadside Assistance

Getting stuck at the roadside because of a blown-out tire or other issue can spoil a trip and in bad weather, can become dangerous. If you’re stranded under the blistering sun, your dashboard, seats and steering wheel can become incredibly hot, potentially reaching temperatures of over 110 degrees in as little as an hour.^[5] Getting roadside assistance can help you get your car towed to a mechanic or jumpstarted so you can get back on the road safely.

Get Your Car Inspected

Before you leave, get your car checked out, including its oil, engine, battery, tires and other components, to ensure that they can handle long-distance-driving. Road trips can add hundreds of miles to your car depending on the length of your trip, which can exacerbate issues your car is already experiencing. For additional peace of mind, you may want to consider mechanical breakdown insurance if a sudden internal failure occurs while driving.

Check Your Health Insurance Policy

Health insurance may be the last thing on your mind when planning a road trip, but accidents can happen and your policy may not extend coverage to the area you’re visiting. Most health insurance plans will cover emergency services in another state but may not cover routine care, so it’s worth checking with your provider to verify the details before taking off. In addition, keep in mind that if you see an out-of-network provider, you may receive reduced coverage or none at all depending on the plan you have.

If your auto policies does not already include it, you may also want to consider getting PIP or Medpay coverage to help with any financial burdens in the event of an injury resulting from a car accident.

Learn Where You Can Camp in Your Vehicle

If you’d prefer to sleep under the stars in your vehicle, keep in mind that each state and even the city can have different laws on sleeping in a car. For example, sleeping in your car on city streets is illegal in Dallas and you will instead need to find a designated rest stop.^[6] If you’re traveling in an RV, some Walmart parking lots may allow for overnight parking, but this will vary depending on the individual store manager, so always check ahead before making camp.^[7]

Book Stays in Advance

There’s no guarantee the hotels or rentals along your way will have vacancies or that they’ll take walk-in guests at all. Searching in advance or using travel experts can help you see what options are available en route to and at your destination. If you’re considering a more outdoorsy trip to stay at campgrounds or national parks, ensure you’ve reserved your spot in advance and pay any necessary fees.

Plan Your Itinerary

You might have a great destination, but be aware of what exists along the way. You may want to take a detour for an out-of-the-way sight or stop for the evening to grab a bite to eat. Being aware of the cities and towns along your route can also help you find rest stops and gas stations. Some services, like AAA, offer trip-planning resources that can help streamline this process.^[8]

Exchange Information and Pack an Emergency Supply

Prepare your traveling companions by telling them how to react in emergencies and trade contact information in case someone gets lost or separated. It can also be worth packing road flares, whistles, extra food and water and tools like a window or windshield breaker to cover your bases for various emergencies.

Remember to keep your home safe by locking the door and safely storing any valuables you’re leaving behind so you can reduce your chances of a stressful homecoming.

How To Save Money on a Road Trip

Road trips can accumulate costs across your route between gas, food, hotel costs and any souvenirs you may pick up along the way.

1. Stick to your budget: It can be easy to spend more than you should while on a trip, but by creating a budget and sticking to it, you can help avoid excess costs. Research the costs you anticipate and give yourself extra wiggle room for the purchases you may not expect, including any potential repairs your car may need that might not be covered and “fun” purchases like souvenirs and clothing.
2. Bring food and drink: Cutting down on purchases from restaurants can help lower your costs, so bring plenty of water and snacks for your trip. Depending on how far you have to go and your lodgings, consider bringing your meals or taking advantage of deals at the local grocery stores to cook your food if that is possible.
3. Check gas prices: Depending on the length of your trip, the cost of refueling can be higher than you think. Gas prices regularly vary by state, so research the prices along your trip to see where it would be more cost-effective to fill up the tank.
4. Avoid overusing phone data: Data usage can get high quickly, especially if you post photos of your trip to social media or use Google Maps to help you navigate. Download offline copies of Google Maps before your trip to avoid data usage and try to limit excess downloads and uploads unless connected to a rest stop or hotel Wi-Fi.
5. Buy the right insurance: Getting into a car accident can cost thousands of dollars in repairs to your car and covering the other driver’s losses if you were the at-fault driver. Having the right insurance policies in place can help pay toward those expenses. In addition, shopping around can help you add coverage to your auto policy at affordable rate.

Common Road Trip Disasters

So many things can go wrong when you’re on a road trip, such as your car breaking down, getting broken into or being involved in a car accident. Fortunately, there are several types of insurance coverages you can buy so that you’re financially protected when an unexpected disaster arrives. Below we highlight potential road trip disasters and insurance coverages that can come to the rescue.