Long-haul holidays without the hassle

SINGAPORE — The June school holidays are around the corner and for thousands of Singaporeans, that means one thing: Road trip!

Planning for a holiday drive into Malaysia entails more than booking rooms at a resort, however. It also means navigating the North-South Highway, which brings with it a number of driving situations that don’t exist in Singapore, like sustained high speeds, pitch darkness at night and long stints behind the wheel.

But having a safe journey overseas is more a matter of common sense than magic. These tips can help to make that road trip a dream drive instead of a holiday disaster.

These tips can help to make that road trip a dream drive instead of a holiday disaster

Service your car beforehand

There’s still time, and it will allow your mechanic to spot any signs of impending trouble (such as worn tyres or a weak battery). Some workshops have a specific pre-drive inspection service for just this purpose. Many fatalities involve collisions with a stationary vehicle, so a breakdown isn’t just inconvenient — it’s dangerous.

Refuel before you need to

It’s a matter of safety and it’s prudent because it guards against the unforeseen, like the only petrol station in the area running out of stock or having a faulty credit card reader.

Visibility is your friend

The further up the road you can see, the better. That means thoroughly cleaning your car’s windscreens (front and back) and its headlights. Use the squeegees at petrol stations. Top up your windscreen washer fluid, too. That’s so important that in some countries, it’s illegal to run dry of washer fluid.

Big speeds, big gaps

When speeds go up, so do stopping distances. So don’t drive at the same gap to the car in front as you would in Singapore. If it’s raining or dark, budget even more distance. “I wish I’d tailgated the car in front closer,” said no sane driver ever.

Read the future

You can avoid trouble by spotting it early. Don’t fixate on the car directly in front of you, but look past it. If you can’t see all that far up ahead, try watching how the traffic in front of you behaves. A forest of red lights suddenly appearing up the road tells you that other drivers are braking, for instance, which signals a potential hazard.

Sharing is caring

Long drives can be dull, and that can create sleepiness. Share the driving duties if you can, and keep your stint behind the wheel to two hours or less. If you have a co-driver, take turns napping.

Sleep lots

Not when you’re behind the wheel, but before. It’s especially important to load up on sleep if you’re planning to drive overnight, when traffic is lighter. If you’re flying solo and fending off the Z Monster, coffee is not a good solution. Instead, find a highway rest area and nap for at least 20 minutes.

Beam yourself up

The North-South Highway is devoid of lamps for most of its length. Use the high beam to illuminate as much of the road as possible, but if there are other drivers ahead or cars coming the other way, return to the dipped beam to avoid dazzling them. Or annoying them.