Safety Tips When Road Tripping In The Winter

Each year thousands of travelers take to the open roads in their RV rentals to experience the adventures and sights of the American highways. Although most people stick to the warm months for their traveling, especially in areas where winter comes on strong and poor weather adds to the trials of traveling, there are still many people who enjoy traveling in the winter months. Not only does this season come with its own sense of beauty, but many who love the winter sports spend their time traveling between ski resorts in order to take advantage of the prime season. In the winter you can also take advantage of the cheaper rates at campgrounds and resorts. If this sounds like a plan to you, then by all means plan yourself a winter journey. Just make sure to keep these safety tips in mind.

Pack Warm Clothes & Blankets

Although this may seem obvious, you would be surprised how many people find themselves stranded on the road without the proper clothing and warm layers. Before you set out on the journey, envision the unlikely scenario that you are broken down or stranded in a remote area in snowy, cold conditions. You are going to want sweaters, parkas, and blankets so you can bundle up until help comes. For this reason, you should always pack a bundle of warm layers that you do not plan on wearing on your day-to-day activities. Keep these stashed away in a safe, dry place. This way you can rest easy knowing you have a surplus of warm clothes should you need them along the way.

Canned Food

You will most likely be bringing a number of food items with you on the road, not to mention a surplus of cash and cards in order to purchase meals. Just like with the warm clothing, however, you will also want to put aside a stash of non-perishable food items that you can utilize should you become stranded in bad weather conditions. Set these items aside only in case of emergencies. This way, should you become stranded you will have enough sustenance to last you until your situation gets better. Along with canned foods you can also pack trail mix, dried fruits, peanuts, and other types of non-perishable foods.

Snow Tires


If you will be driving long stretches in winter conditions, the main thing keeping you moving will be your tires. You can have the best RV in the world, but if the tires aren’t up to par it isn’t going to do you much good. When you head to your rv rentals santa cruz ca location, make sure to let the rep know that you will be journeying in the wintertime. Make sure that you secure a vehicle that has a set of sturdy tires that will work well in slippery, slushy conditions. The main thing that will stop a winter journey in its tracks is a vehicle getting stuck in the muck, so you will want a well-treaded tire that can maneuver on roads slick with ice, mud, and snow.

Weather Radio

One thing to remember is that in many remote regions your internet may not be available. Using your phone or other devices to check up on weather reports is fine, but backup will be required just in case you should find yourself out of WiFi range. For a reasonable price you can obtain a portable weather radio that tunes into various weather reports and gives a fully accurate, up to the minute weather report for any region you may find yourself in. You will also be able to predict weather in the upcoming days. You’ll be surprised how much one of these weather radios will come in handy on a winter journey. If our internet access is on the rocks due to weather or remoteness of region, your secret weapon will be your weather radio. It will be well worth the investment.

Simple Tool Kit

You don’t have to be an experienced mechanic to perform simple fixes on your RV. Knowing how to do perfunctory tasks such as changing a tire or performing minor engine adjustments can be the difference between being stranded on the side of the road for hours waiting for help and being back up and running in no time. This is why no RV traveler should ever be without a simple tool kit. These can be acquired for cheap online, but make sure to do your research so you can be sure the kit includes all the simple tools you need in order to complete minor adjustments and wheel changes. Also consult the internet on the steps for these quick fixes, and print out the steps so that you have them should you need them.

Winter traveling has many advantages, including cheaper rates, less crowded attractions and sights, and the opportunity to take advantage of winter sports. This is why many travelers take to their RV rentals and hit the roadways during the cold months. As long as you make sure to follow the basic safety tips, you are sure to have a fine time traveling this winter.