My family takes a lot of road trips, I grew up taking a 12 hour road trip to see family every year, twice a year. Is 12 hours a reasonable road trip?
A 12 hour drive will leave the driver exhausted, and you will need to spend time at your destination resting and recuperating. For the most enjoyable road trip, plan to drive no more than 8 hours in a day and stop every 2-4 hours, or split the driving between two drivers.
If you plan to drive 12 hours, expect to cover about 600 miles.
Planning to do all the driving on one day of your trip does allow you to spend more time at your destination, but you may end up exhausted when you arrive.
A better plan is to divide your trip over two days or two drivers. This will keep you safer and make the trip more enjoyable.
You can look at the trip in your favorite navigation app, then zoom in on the map to see if there are any cities in the middle of the route. Plan to stop there and spend a few hours, and possibly stay overnight.
If you feel comfortable, you could spend a few hours sleeping in your car in a safe place, then begin driving again when you feel rested.
Is a 12 hour drive safe?
As a general rule, a 12 hour drive is not safe for most drivers. Plan to drive no more than 8 hours in a day. 12 hours can comfortably be completed in a day by two drivers or a professional driver who covers long distances frequently. If you attempt a 12 hour drive, have a back up plan if you need to stop and sleep.
The biggest danger of a long drive is that the driver may become drowsy.
Drowsy driving accounts for a large percentage of accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association reports that over 70 thousand accidents are caused by drowsy driving.
As soon as you begin to feel sleepy, plan to stop. Get a coffee or soda, take a walk, then get back on the road. If you begin to feel sleepy again, stop and sleep.
You can try to split the trip up into a morning trip and and evening trip, and spend the middle of the day sleeping.
Can you survive a 12 hour drive alone?
A 12 hour drive is possible for drivers who are accustomed to long drives. If you have never attempted a long distance drive, do not plan to spend more than 8 hours on the road, and pull over as soon as you start to get tired. Drowsy driving is extremely dangerous.
Sleep
On your first long trip, bring some things to help you safely nap in your car. You may be surprised at how quickly you get tired while driving monotonous highway miles.
Have a back up plan if you find that you need to stop and sleep.
If you do not have the budget to stay overnight at a hotel, check out these 11 alternatives that might fit your trip.
Entertainment
A long solo trip requires some engaging entertainment, consider:
Podcasts – A great way to hear a story, learn something, or get to know someone.
Audio Books – Check out Oprah’s book club list or the Mensa list, grow that brain!
Phone Calls – Call the folks you love, an engaging conversation will help you get down the road without feeling bored or tired.
Audio Course – Lots of people are starting to produce audio courses for people to learn a new skill. A road trip is a perfect time to learn one of these. Let the ideas flow.
Opera – Have you ever listened to an Opera? This is your chance.
Bathroom Breaks
When you stop to go to the bathroom, grab your GPS and choose your next stop.
Or
Set your timer for 2 hours and drive until the timer goes off.
Plan to stop at highway rest stops, and walk for 10 minutes. Set your timer and get walking.
You can find rest stops with Google Maps, but be sure to use voice to text so you can keep your hands on the wheel.
What should I pack for a 12 hour car ride?
When planning your 12 hour trip be sure to pack:
- Water
Be sure to keep yourself hydrated on a road trip. It’s tempting to limit water in order to limit bathroom breaks, but this method will tire you out quicker.
- Snacks
Snacks will keep you full and keep you awake. Be sure to pack snacks with fiber to keep things moving, if you know what I mean.
- Meals
You may not want to stop for lunch, and some sandwiches in the cooler will save you time and money!
- Entertainment
Plan your audio entertainment before you hit the road and make a great road trip playlist.
- Paper Map
No one thinks their GPS will fail, but ours just did on our last trip. A paper map can help you find the road, and give you peace of mind. I think a paper map is a great addition to any road trip kit.
- Toll Payment
Tolls in America are not simple. If you have an EZPass you are good on the East Coast, but once you pass the Great Lakes you will need to refer to this post with all the details so you are not surprised.
- Paper Towels
You will not regret sticking a roll of paper towels under the passenger seat. Perfect for nose wipes, spill clean up and sandwich wraps.
- Trash Bags
I like to keep kitchen sized trash bags in the van, its not just for trash. I use them for wet clothes, dirty laundry, and even for shopping. They are super helpful
- Car Vacuum
I LOVE my car vacuum, this is a game changer for my family. I have this one and I use it often. It is the size of a water bottle and I keep it in the baby bag.
Can you drive 1000 miles in a day?
The most miles you should attempt in a day is 600 miles. This would be a 12 hour drive. It would take the average driver 20 hours. This is too far for a single driver to cover in one day. This drive could be possible for 2 drivers over one day, or could be covered in 2 days of solid driving.
When you are planning your trip, I recommend no more than 8 hours a day, and plan to cover no more than 50 miles in an hour. This accounts for stops.
1000 miles in a single day is not safe for a single driver.
The Planning a Long Trip
The perfect trip is 8 days long, further than 200 miles away and to a new place.
This is not achievable on every trip.
Take time to plan some meaningful stops along your trip.
Seasoned road trippers plan to cover about 50 miles an hour including breaks and stops.
Use this method with Google Maps, and divide your trip into legs, make the legs between 200 and 300 miles, and give each leg a destination.
| Start – First Stop | 2.5 Hours | Midway Stop |
| First Stop – Destination | 3 Hours | Lodging |
For Example
| Richmond Va – New York | 5 Hours | Pennsylvania Playground |
| New York – Boston | 5 Hours | Stay with Aunt Lou |
