Make sure you plan your route before going to a festival.
Festival season in the UK is well and truly underway, with Glastonbury and T in the Park among the many events having already taken place. However, there are lots more to come and many people will be using their car in order to get there.
If you're one of these people, we advise that you do plenty of planning before setting off on your trip. It can be easy to forget some of the basics of long-distance driving when you get carried away at the prospect of seeing your favourite bands in the sunshine – but, as with any lengthy car journey, preparation is key.
The last thing you want is for your festival experience to be ruined because you failed to prepare your car or plan your route.
While festivals are places promoting carefree and relaxed vibes, this should not be the case when it comes to the drive down. With this in mind, the Institute of Advanced Motorists has offered a few hints for festival goers through advanced driver and chief examiner Peter Rodger.
Mr Rodger explained that you should consider all transport options before driving down to a festival. He added: "But if you decide that driving works best for you, there are steps you can take to ensure you get there and back in one piece.
"Prepare yourself and your vehicle, and then you’ll be able to do what you're going for – enjoy your festival weekender."
Among his top tips are:
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Plan the route in advance to avoid any added stress.
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Don't overload your car – you'll need to see out of the back window so avoid the temptation to stack things in front of it.
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Don't be distracted by passengers. Queues are likely around the site, but you should not let the excitement building up in the car distract you from what's going on on the road.
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Lock your car and keep the keys safe. This may seem obvious, but you'd be amazed how easy it is to misplace your keys when having a good time!
Posted by Peter Murray