Travel is awesome and if you ever get the chance to travel across The USA by car, then do it. Although taking the coach across the country would probably be more relaxing because you can rest. travelling by car is so much more personalised to you. You are in charge and you are the person who decided where to go and where to stop.
Getting A Car To Travel Across The USA By Car
So now you have decided to travel across the USA by car, there are other things that you need to decide. You can hire a car or you can buy a second-hand car or even a camper van.
When you hire a car, you have the full backup of the hiring company. If the car breaks down or it is stolen. The hire company will sort out a replacement for you. But hiring a car is going to be expensive if you are going to be using it for an extended trip.
If you buy a car, you need to buy it from a reputable seller. You don’t want to buy a car that is not legal on the road. Cars are cheaper in America than in most other countries. And the car salesman will let you negotiate a good price. Because after all, a sale is a sale!
You will need to make sure you have all of the legal paperwork. Buying it in cash means you don’t have to worry about taking credit out to buy it. So save up before your big trip.
Car Insurance
Make sure you know what car insurance to buy for your trip. Be aware that crossing state lines, will mean there are different laws and insurance regulations for you to follow. For example here are a few states, and you can see the difference in the laws and requirements.
In Texas, you must by law have adequate car insurance. You need to have coverage of at least $30,000 for every injured person. You also need to be able to cover the cost of any property damage of at least $25,000
New York is a no-fault insurance state, which means when you make your first claim after an accident is usually against your own insurance policy, even if it is not your fault. You need to have the basic coverage of $50,000 dollars for every person in the car as well as pedestrians that you might injure whilst you drive.
Car insurance requirements in Oklahoma are $25,000 per person for bodily injury coverage, $500,00 for bodily injury to cover medical expenses and also $25,000 for each accident in property damage coverage. Oklahoma is an at-fault state, so in an accident, it is the person at fault who pays for the damage.
So it really does vary from state to state, you need to be sure that your insurance coverage will cover you for all of the states you visit. Even if you will only be passing through for a few hours.
Have A Good Sat Nav
You need a map in the car as well as a satnav, but a satnav will work better for you because it picks up on traffic jams too.
You do not need to buy a satnav, especially for your car because many people these days have a great navigation system on their smartphones. So you can just use that instead.
You will need to keep it charged up on long journeys, but some cars come with a USB charger these days.
Also, have a good old-fashioned map, and make sure you can read it. Sometimes small roads do not show up on the satnav, so always have the map book as a backup, in case you get lost.
Get A Breakdown Service
This is almost as important as having everything else for your car. You do not want to break down on a long deserted road in the middle of nowhere, without the reassurance of breakdown coverage. Then you will know someone will help you.
It might seem expensive on top of everything else you have paid out. But in the long run, it will be more expensive to get your car towed and or repaired on the side of the road.
Shop around for the best deal and take into consideration, where you will be driving. Is it mostly cities or motorways?
Keep In Touch With Friends And Family
What you are doing is a real adventure for you. But it is a real worry for your friends and family as you travel across the USA by car. Keep in touch by tagging yourself at places on social media.
Phone your family up as much as you can. Although it is easier to message, the family will always worry that it isn’t you sending the messages.
You can also get an app where your family can track you. Life 360 is one such app and you can have a group of people tracking your holiday. It is worth getting for a piece of mind.
They will also want to see loads of photos so keep them updated on social media with the fun you are having.
If you have decided to travel across the USA by car this year, then I wish you the best of luck. Enjoy every moment of it and make so many memories.
