8 things to note when traveling long distances by car in a group

1. Agree on the route in advance

Nowadays, traveling has become easier thanks to map applications on personal digital devices. Agreeing with the vehicles in the group on Google Map before departure is the best way to avoid getting lost on the road.

In addition to looking at the electronic map, you should consult the experience of those who have gone before about reasonable and safe stopping points on the road when having to stop and park many cars at the same time.

2. Guide duties

Traveling in a convoy on the highway is only effective when the convoy is always running smoothly. To achieve this, a “locomotive” with good driving skills and a lot of experience is needed. The speed of the convoy depends largely on the leading ability of the leading vehicle.

Drivers on a tour guide duty need to carefully study the route in advance, know the turns, speed limits, rest stops... An experienced tour guide always knows the addresses of good restaurants or interesting places to visit along the way.

3. Tailgate lock

For a large convoy, it is necessary to have a tail car to ensure that the cars always run stably in line and at the right speed, as well as stop to assist in case of any vehicle having problems.

The tail car has the task of informing the leading car of the situation of the vehicles in the convoy so that it can promptly adjust its speed accordingly.

4. Numbering and labeling of vehicles

If the convoy has 5 or more vehicles, it is advisable to number the vehicles, or print logos, symbols or individual names... on the windshield and rearview mirror of each vehicle to easily recognize each other's location. In addition, if you get lost, you can easily recognize each other and continue moving in the convoy.

5. Use walkie-talkies

Driving in a group will be inconvenient because you have to get out of the car to communicate with each other; this is not only ineffective but also affects other cars on the same route.

The walkie-talkie is like the driver's third eye, anything that happens on the road ahead will be easily notified to the following cars by walkie-talkie. Using a walkie-talkie brings many conveniences, so don't forget to prepare this item when traveling long distances by car in a group.

6. Keep a reasonable distance between vehicles

This is the most important skill when driving in a group. It sounds simple, but in reality it is not easy. For the person following, you must always keep a minimum distance of 3 seconds from the vehicle in front so that you can handle any unexpected incidents in time.But if the distance between the cars in front is too far, the "train" will be at risk of "breaking off".

Driving in a convoy is only effective when the vehicles always maintain a stable distance; the leading vehicle must calculate to stop at the traffic light earlier so that the following vehicles do not "cut off" when encountering a red light.

7. Keep the speed

The average distance traveled in 1 hour by a convoy does not depend on the maximum speed the vehicles can travel, but on the ability of the entire convoy to maintain a stable speed.

For the leading vehicle, it is necessary to always pay attention to maintaining a stable speed, accelerating and decelerating gently, absolutely not speeding or braking suddenly, this is not only dangerous for the vehicles behind but also creates the opposite effect, that is, making the vehicles behind consume more fuel than going alone.

8. Pay attention to the wheel tracks

When the convoy enters a bad road, the lead vehicle will have the task of observing and moving to the safest place (always pay attention to the ground clearance of the vehicles in the convoy). The vehicles following will pay attention and move into the wheel tracks of the vehicle in front.

In case the convoy has to wade across a stream, the following vehicles must wait for the leading vehicle to safely cross the stream before continuing down the stream via the path of the previous vehicle.

Ngoc Anh