- Check the weather forecast. It’s so obvious but so important. Even if you can’t change your travel plans by a day or two, changing your driving schedule by an hour or two could make a very big difference to your safety and enjoyment.
- Set a reasonable pace. In summer, with clear roads, you may plan for long days of driving. Plan for shorter driving days in winter for two reasons: 1) there are fewer hours of sunlight in the winter and 2) winter driving can be more tiring. Also, a 6-hour day on the road in winter can put you into a whole new weather system. Set reasonable expectations.
Packing Essentials for a Winter Road Trip Alone
1. Really good sunglasses.
A bright sunny day is made brighter when the sun bounces off the snow. Make sure you have good quality sunglasses with you. According to Helen Siomos of Eye Candy Opticians in Toronto, under winter driving conditions “a brown or amber lens is best for contrast and polarized lens with back side antiglare” are recommended.
2. Mobile phone and charger for the car.
You’ll need a portable charger that plugs into a USB port or what was once, and now rarely is, a cigarette lighter. In case of emergency you don’t want your phone to run out of power.
3. Map and GPS.
I think it’s important to have both a paper map and a GPS when setting out on a winter road trip. The latter is great for most circumstances but should the GPS maps be out of date or should it have trouble accessing the satellite, you’ll still need to know where you’re going and that will require a paper map. Plus, the map with your route highlighted makes a great souvenir of the trip.
