Sharing a Car on a Road Trip

A road trip can be a fun and liberating experience, especially if shared with friends or family.

22:28 23 May 2022

A road trip can be a fun and liberating experience, especially if shared with friends or family. However, it is important to make sure everything goes smoothly for it to stay positive.

 

This can require taking care of certain things such as adding extra drivers to your insurance policy. You will also want to coordinate activities so everyone is entertained. 

 

Here are some ideas for planning ahead with insurance, and some fun things to do with your companions while on the road. 

 

 

Tips For Adding Another Driver to Your Car Insurance

Adding a friend to your car insurance can be confusing, but it is an important step to take if you plan to let your friend drive your car for extended periods of time.

 

Your Friend’s Driving Record 

If your friend has a clean driving record, your car insurance rates won’t be affected that much. However, it is important to take into consideration whether they have multiple traffic tickets or a history of reckless driving.

 

If they do, your rates may increase by a lot. If your friend has one accident in their driving history, the annual rate can increase by several hundred or even a thousand dollars.

 

The Additional Driver’s Age

If the driver is a teenager, this may increase your rates as well. Drivers in the age bracket under 25 generally pay more for car insurance. However, in most cases, it’s imperative to add teen drivers to your insurance policy if they are going to be regularly driving your car. 

 

This applies especially to family members.

 

Insurance for the Car vs. the Driver

Generally, the vehicle is insured rather than the driver. So regardless of who is driving your car, if your car gets into an accident, it usually will be covered.

 

However, adding someone to your policy, say for an extended road trip, is still useful. Adding them ensures that your claims, if any, will be processed at maximum efficiency with minimal snags. 

 

Also, if you choose not to insure your companion, and the car gets into a crash while they are driving, some situations may arise where the insurance company will not cover the damage. 

 

For example, if they are found to be driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, your friend would not be considered a permissive driver. And only permissive drivers will be covered. Also, make sure your friend has a valid driver’s license, as this is necessary to be considered a permissive driver as well. 

 

Fun Activities to Keep Everyone Entertained on Your Road Trip 

Once you’re actually on the road, you want everyone to enjoy themselves for everything to be OK. That means taking everyone’s needs into account. This can already be quite the feat for people trying to employ teamwork; so for a group crammed into a car together, it can really be difficult.

 

And you also need to make sure the road trip stays lively. So here are some tips to stay entertained and conscientious of everyone else.

 

Coordinate Music Taste With a Travel Playlist

Blasting music and singing along to your favorite lyrics can be one of the best memories of a road trip. But you don’t want a song to come up that your friend hates, nor do you want your friend’s taste to conflict with yours.

 

A great way to combat this is to come up with a playlist together ahead of time that you know everyone will love.

 

Explore Fun Stops to Stay Active on the Road Trip

There are plenty of stops other than boring rest areas that are geared toward road trip drivers. You can visit museums that showcase local history and culture of the areas you’re passing through. Or find a quintessential road trip diner to get up and stretch your legs. Just walking can help keep everyone’s moods elevated.

 

Listen to an Audiobook You and Your Friends All Like

Music isn’t the only audio you can enjoy as a group. Find a great audiobook that everyone likes in advance. This can help to prevent any bickering in younger children as well, as it keeps everyone quiet. 

 

Plan a Picnic 

Sometimes the simpler things in life can be a fine experience. If you want to stretch your legs and get outside, try packing a blanket and your own food in a cooler for a picnic. This can be a great flexible alternative to stuffy rest stops as well. Find a pretty park and dig in.

 

Take Photos at Iconic Places

 

 

Consider buying a Polaroid Snap or other instant cameras so you can get that vintage vibe in your photos. This can be fun to document your journey, as well as to get some artistic shots. 

 

Try snapping shots of vintage diner signs, monuments, and iconic landmarks. This can be the perfect opportunity for you and friends to pose together to preserve those classic memories. 

 

Play Road Trip Games

Games can be a great way to engage on a road trip. You can try games like I Spy for younger kids. There is also the license plate game, where you try to find license plates from as many states as possible.

 

Also, you can host a poetry contest using billboard words only (well, mostly) for some laughs. You could also get a list of fun songs to sing on a road trip.

 

Start a Travel Log 

Try collecting items as souvenirs like ticket stubs, brochures, or dried leaves and local flowers to compress in a travel log. You can also journal in your book to keep track of daily events to make the trip unforgettable. 

 

And don’t forget: Instant cameras like the Polaroid Snap are great for both digital and physical formats. So you can place them in your travel log as well as upload the shots to your phone album. 

 

So where to for your road trip?

Thinking about where to go for your next road trip? Some popular vacation destinations include the Grand Canyon, Disney World, and Aspen, Colorado. This can be your next great adventure and a bonding experience with your family and friends. Just make sure you’re prepared.

 

 

Dorothea Hudson writes and researches for the car insurance comparison site, CarInsurance101.com. She is an avid traveler, having lived abroad multiple times, and enjoys educating readers about travel.