Taking a road trip in Georgia isn’t a terrible way to spend a family vacation. There are tons of scenic routes to admire and plenty of things to do. The only problem is the driving.
Driving in Georgia comes with a unique set of challenges. If you’re not prepared for these challenges or know the unique road laws, you may end up getting caught off guard by the sounds of sirens and flashing blue lights behind you.
That’s one way to ruin a vacation. Check out this guide for a list of tips that will help you navigate your way through the state.
1. Plan Your Trip Ahead of Time
A general rule of thumb when traveling anywhere is to plan ahead of time. If you try to go on a trip during the weekend without doing a little research first, it will catch you off guard.
Before you go, open up your navigation app and look up any points of interest. Familiarize yourself with the roads, learn the name of the highways. Check to see if there is any stadium parking around the event that you’re heading to.
Look up restaurants and hotels. The more you know about the area of Georgia you’re going to, the less you’ll panic and make road mistakes that will get you in trouble.
2. Avoid the Far Right-Lane
In many places, it’s okay to travel in the right lane. In Georgia, it is not. If you’re driving in the right lane, there will come a time when it ends.
You get no notice when these lanes end. It may leave you with no choice but to get off on a highway that you’re not familiar with. Your navigation app will be able to send you in the right direction, but it’s still nerve-wracking.
It might also be a pain to move over into the next lane. You sort of have to hope that a kind individual will let you over. Otherwise, you’ll leave a bunch of drivers braking and could even cause an accident.
3. Pick a Good Navigation App
Download a good navigation app before you head out on the road. Google and Apple maps can filter out roads that you want to avoid such as tolls. They’ll find a path that will take you to your destination as fast as possible.
They’ll know about accidents when they happen and warn you about them. They’ll detect roadwork and navigate you around it. If you don’t want to use Google or Apple maps or can’t use them, you can try out other navigation apps such as Waze.
4. Avoiding Rush Hour
Nobody likes driving in rush hour traffic. The roads are so congested that you’ll be bumper to bumper with other cars. If you’re going to get into an accident, it’s during rush hour traffic.
If you want to get where you need to go, it’s a good idea to avoid driving between 6 and 7 in the morning. Even the best driving roads in Georgia may get congested as early as 4 in the morning.
You may still run into traffic at 10 in the morning, but for the most part, you should be safe to drive around then. As far as the afternoons go, stay off the road from 3 pm to 7 pm.
Read More: 9 Super Fun Things to Do in Georgia (Country)
5. Obey the General Georgia Driving Laws
Every state has its own unique set of road laws. Georgia is no exception to this. You’ll have to deal with the basics such as wear a seat belt. There are some unique laws that you should know about as well if you want to avoid getting pulled over during your fun family road trip.
You’ve Got to Have Car Insurance
Georgia requires that all drivers have a certain amount of insurance in place. This is a necessity in most states, so nobody is usually caught off guard with it. What makes Georgia a little different is the amount of insurance you have to have.
It’s not much. It may cover you, but it won’t cover the passenger in your car or property damages, in some cases. To be safe, it might be a good idea for you to invest in a larger plan.
Hands-Free Laws
Georgia has had hands-free laws since 2018. You can’t hold your phone in one hand and drive with the other. You can’t text while you’re driving.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t use your phone at all, however. You can still talk on your phone as long as it’s not in your hand. You can use it as a GPS device and play music. You just can’t test unless you’re using talk-to-text.
Don’t Drive Too Slow
You’ve heard of getting a ticket for getting too fast, now get ready for getting a ticket for driving too slowly. If you’re not going fast enough in certain lanes, you can get pulled over.
If there is a faster car approaching you, you’re required to slow down and let the person pass. You may see signs that tell slower drivers to move over. If you fail to do so, you can get a ticket.
You’re Allowed to Drive Without Wearing Shoes
This is a sort of weird fun fact, but there are no laws against driving barefoot in Georgia. Unless your ability to drive is affected in some way, go ahead and throw off those heels and be comfortable during your trip.
Essential Tips for Driving in Georgia
Driving in Georgia can be a little bit complicated. If you’re not aware of the road laws before you go, your vacation could be ruined due to an unexpected driving ticket.
Don’t let that happen to you. Get your GPS ready before you go, do your research, and above all else, enjoy the sights that the best driving roads in Georgia have to offer.
Looking for a list of things that you can do while you’re in Georgia? Check out the travel section of our blog to get a few ideas.
