• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Travel
  • Road Trips
  • Guides & Tips
  • Fleet
  • News
  • Special Offers
  • Rent a car

SIXT rent a car Magazine

Travel Tips and News

Road trip weather tips for safe travel

Weather can sometimes be unpredictable and driving safely in bad conditions is very important. No one wants the weather to put a crimp in their plans, but safety should be the most important thing for your road trip.

Book Car Rental for your Road Trip

Factoring the weather situation into your road trip plans can save you both time and trouble. With the Internet and weather apps, it’s easy to find accurate and up-to-date information on the current weather conditions, as well as a forecast.

There are various weather websites to check the state of the sky and roads of the places you plan on driving through. Sites like the National Weather Service and Morecast allow travelers to input their route and obtain a free calculation of what the weather looks like along their journey, including the temperature, precipitation and cloud cover. With Morecast, there is even a “compare” feature to help you decide which route to take, comparing the different weather conditions.

Man holding a phone with a weather app behind the steering wheel
Photo: garagestock on Shutterstock

Before leaving, download a weather app on your phone to have quick access to updated information. Both Morecast and The Weather Channel have accurate weather smartphone apps, with both notifications and predictions. While you’re on the road, turning the radio to the weather report can also be a smart idea for the latest updates in the specific area you’re driving through. This can also help when you’re off the beaten path and don’t have good cell reception.

Some national parks and other sites attracting visitors are seasonal, or their access roads and entrances are subject to the weather and road conditions. If you have plans to visit any specific areas like these during your road trip, especially in the winter, check with their official websites beforehand to get information on the road status and opening dates.

If it looks like you may be hitting some extreme weather during your road trip, make sure to be ready and plan ahead. However, it’s always recommended to avoid driving during the worst weather conditions. Do not drive in blizzards, downpours and extremely foggy conditions; the best bet, in this case, is to make a stop somewhere like a rest area or gas station and wait it out. Nonetheless, before starting a road trip where there may be snow, ice or a lot of rain, check the treads on your tires or prep your vehicle with winter tires.

Snow covered cars in a traffic jam
Photo: Frederic Legrand – COMEO on Shutterstock

Since it’s generally less safe to be driving in extreme weather conditions, remember to always wear a seatbelt and keep your eyes on the road. Another tip to bear in mind is to put extra distance between your car and the car in front of you. This extra distance can give you the additional reaction time you may need to avoid danger on roads in bad conditions. In wet and icy weather, be extra careful when driving over bridges or overpasses. These materials tend to freeze faster and stay icy for longer than normal roads. For a long road trip, if there’s a safer route to go on, take it. In this case, avoid the adventurous back roads and try sticking to the main highways or interstates with high traffic. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Primary Sidebar

Road trips

Road Trip on the German Alpine Road

The German Alpine Road is the oldest vacation road in … [Read More...] about Road Trip on the German Alpine Road

A Road Trip to Discover the Amalfi Coast

If you are thinking of taking a vacation to discover the … [Read More...] about A Road Trip to Discover the Amalfi Coast

Things to do on road trips

Whether you’re planning a multi-day road trip or something … [Read More...] about Things to do on road trips

More Posts from this Category

Follow us on

Tags

arizona atlanta austria black friday bmw cadillac california convertible europe florida ford mustang frankfurt georgia germany israel italy las vegas los angeles madrid mercedes-benz miami mydriver nevada new station new york one-way route Pennsylvania roadtrip Roadtrips Road trips roadtrips from Denver road trips from houston road trips from nyc san francisco savannah seattle shuttle SIXT ride Spain Special offers suv switzerland toll roads usa vienna

Footer

Sixt in the USA

  • JFK
  • Dallas Airport
  • Atlanta Airport
  • Chicago Airport
  • Denver Airport
  • Houston Airport
  • Minneapolis Airport
  • SeaTac Airport
  • Las Vegas Airport
  • LAX
  • All Sixt US Locations

  • Long-term car rental
  • Luxury car rental

SIXT WORLDWIDE

Austria Belgium France Germany Italy
Netherlands Spain Switzerland United Kingdom United States
Australia

All SIXT Services

  • SIXT rent
  • SIXT share
  • SIXT ride

Follow Us On

Sixt App

Sixt app Android Sixt app iOS
Contact Us Imprint & Privacy Terms & Conditions

Copyright Sixt © 2022. All rights reservered.