Over the past few months, the US has started to reopen, and state by state, the country is beginning to return to some semblance of normality. While restrictions vary between cities and states, expect more people to be traveling this summer and making up for the lost time. However, the reopening of the country is likely to have a huge impact on car travel this year. Even if you are just staying closer to home this summer, you’ll likely notice the increase in traffic in your local area. Keep reading to understand what you should expect from car travel following the reopening of the country.
Road Trips vs. Air Travel
With families across the country keen to get out and about this summer, we expect the majority of people to choose to travel via car when it’s an option. While most individuals previously opted to hop on a plane for a short journey, if it can be completed by car in a day or two, we think you’ll see far more families opting to take this route this year. However, this means that even if you aren’t traveling out of your city or state, you can expect traffic to increase significantly following the reopening of the country. Expect visitors from both within and outside of your state to increase, especially if you live in a particularly touristic area.
Longer Journeys and Congested Routes
As the number of vehicles increases this year on the roads, expect more congested routes. If you usually take a particular route to the beach each year, you may want to research your alternative options to offer yourself a quieter and less congested journey. As we mentioned, we expect more residents to travel by car this year, and on top of that, we believe these journeys will be much longer than usual. People who previously capped road travel to seven or eight-hour journeys are now likely to travel double this distance with an overnight stay in between. If you are going to be undertaking a long journey this year, make sure you and your family are prepared for all eventualities during the trip. Young kids can become particularly frustrated with air travel, so devise unique ways to keep them entertained on the way to your destination.
Safety Considerations when Traveling by Car
Health and safety regulations vary dramatically from state to state currently. If you are leaving your state and traveling elsewhere, you’ll want to be aware of the impact this may have on your car journey. When stopping for a break on your route, understand if there are any mask mandates, quarantine restrictions, or curfews in place currently. You may find that locations you’ve always stopped at in previous years are no longer open, and you may have to drive further to find a restaurant or bathroom stop. Health and safety should be your top priority wherever you are traveling, so make sure you are frequently sanitizing your hands and your vehicle when you are on the road.
More Issues with Vehicles
Many drivers have barely used their vehicles in the past year, especially in comparison to a regular year. With many businesses still requiring employees to work from home, workers don’t even get the chance to use their car for their daily commute. Vehicles are far more likely to break down on the journey without the proper preparation ahead of time. If you are expecting to travel a long distance this year, make sure you take the time to check over each part of your car to ensure it is fully functioning. There’s nothing worse than breaking down on the side of the road and wasting precious days of your vacation.
Breakdown Assistance Needs Will Increase
Continuing on from the increased issues with vehicles this year, we expect breakdown assistance needs and wait times to also increase. However, there are also more digital solutions than ever before to help drivers during their journeys. Eemerg Roadside Assistance offers travelers the opportunity to find immediate assistance from multiple providers, cutting down the wait time during an emergency. Using either the web app or call center, you’ll be able to find a provider with a price and ETA to meet your current requirements. Instead of having to spend a fortune on roadside services, you’ll find these convenient options make road travel a much less stressful experience.
More Flexibility Will Be Required
During the past year, many of us learned that it’s easiest to just go with the flow in regards to making plans. More flexibility will be needed when traveling by car after the country’s reopening. Don’t expect everything to be open on your journey, and keep this in mind before setting off. Add additional time into your journey to allow for any unexpected detours or breaks you may need to add in on the way. If you need to book a last-minute hotel during the journey, ensure you have a few websites ready to hand where you can search for availability for that night.
While we encourage anyone traveling by car this year to do as much research as they can before the trip, know that your plans may not always come to fruition. Start your journey with very little expectation so that you just enjoy the experience of being back on the road. Many websites have been neglected during the past year, and a lot of the opening hours and information online are no longer updated and accurate. Try not to promise anyone in your travel party anything to minimize the chance of disappointment.
Here at Eemerg Roadside Assistance, we are thrilled to see travelers returning to the road this year and exploring our country once again. However, we encourage everyone to be fully prepared for their upcoming travels and the potential disruptions that may occur. If you do find you experience an emergency on the road this year, we are here to support you every step of the way. Keep our details to hand wherever you are heading to, and you’ll find a service provider who will quickly arrive to help you out.
