Keeping Focus on Long Drives

Combatting Boredom While Driving Long Distances

We've all been there: behind the wheel for hours and the mental fog sets in. The scenery starts melting together; suddenly we're missing our exits and have just passed the last rest stop for 30 miles. Driving long distances can be boring, but here are a few tips to keep everyone - especially the driver - more alert and able to enjoy the trip.

• FuelMyRoute.com is a website that tells you which gas stations have the lowest prices.
• Did you know sucking on peppermint or cinnamon candies will help keep you alert and focused?
• The Along the Way app suggests cool stops and attractions on your travel route.
• If your eyes are really drooping, listen to a comedy show. You won't sleep if you're laughing!
• Don't have a phone mount/holder for your car? Make a DIY one by looping a rubber band through a vent and securing the phone, screen out.
• Wrap your seatbelts in soft fabric so the hard material of the belt doesn't press into your neck.
• Pre-pack snacks and make them easily accessible. This way you're less likely to gorge on fattening fast food.
• Make a travel playlist of songs you loved a decade or two ago. Nostalgia makes any trip better!
• A plastic, re-useable cereal container is a great travel garbage can. Close the lid so it doesn't spill.
• You don't need a Go Pro with this hack: make a DIY Go Pro by placing rubber bands over your sun visor, then securing the phone, camera facing out. Capture those scenic drives safely and inexpensively!
• If fatigue, not boredom, is the culprit to ruining your long drive, it's best to pull over and rest for at least 20 minutes. A tired driver is not a safe driver, no matter the distance.