Enjoy your holidays safely: tips for getting to your destination in good shape

I suppose we may come across as a bit of a nuisance on the subject of road safety during your holidays, but we want you to enjoy your trip to the fullest without any problems on the way to your destination. And it matters, because some reports say that many drivers do not follow road safety recommendations when travelling during the holidays. And that is something we don’t like, because it increases the risk of an accident that could spoil that long-awaited time of year.

The most important thing for getting to your holiday destination comfortably and safely is to travel well rested. Most accidents are caused by tiredness and by not getting enough rest before setting off. Sure, nerves before the journey may keep you from sleeping well, but this should be offset by stopping every two hours, to rest, relax and get back behind the wheel refreshed.

According to a report from the Spanish Driver Observatory, the number of people who do not take the recommended breaks is 55%, and 20% of drivers do not stop at all during a long journey of more than 500 kilometres. In addition, summer holidays are periods of intense heat, and during journeys we often experience moments when the temperature rises sharply. This can cause quite serious dehydration, which can lead to many problems while driving.

Hydration is essential, and lack of water can cause us to lose up to 50% of our attention, but it has other consequences too. A lack of glucose can increase driver discomfort, which can lead to a 66% increase in aggressiveness and, according to the data collected, causes 33% more run-off-road incidents. Lack of hydration can lead to behaviour at the wheel that puts the driver at risk, so it is important to avoid it.

As we know you cannot drink alcohol, a good alternative is to drink cool water, not iced. This restores the hydration needed to stay focused. Another option, and the one recommended by RACE together with the Spanish Soft Drinks Association (ANFABRA), is to drink a soft drink, since sugar also helps restore attention at the wheel.

It is important to avoid the hottest hours, always travelling at the cooler times of day, which will help prevent dehydration, although we know that in summer this is very hard to achieve. Either way, with good hydration, stopping regularly and respecting the basic rules of the road, a long and tiring journey can become a pleasant trip to the place we have chosen to enjoy our holidays.