Traffic Safety Strategies for Southern California’s Busiest Summer Spots 

If you live and play in Southern California, you recognize summertime as the best time to get behind the wheel and explore this golden region. So do lots of other residents and visitors. That’s why it’s so important to have cheap auto insurance with comprehensive benefits and to keep traffic safety top of mind at all times. 

Here are a few of our favorite Southern California accident prevention strategies to make your summer travels as safe as they are adventure-filled. 

Know Where (and When) Summer Traffic Is Likeliest to Catch You 

If you’re driving year-round in the most traffic-congested state in the nation, you’re aware of the risks associated with driving in California. But your time behind the wheel becomes ever more potentially perilous in SoCal when vacation season starts. 

You face multiple roadway challenges. For instance, one of the most dangerous roads in San Diego is a 5-mile stretch of I-15 between Miramar Way and Scripps Poway Parkway. Another regional hot spot during summer in this part of the state is the Pacific Coast Highway section of Highway I in the always-congested L.A. metro. 

Road infrastructure problems throughout California (and everywhere else in America, for that matter) create additional challenges, slowing traffic down, forcing detours, and adding to safety concerns. 

That’s why it’s so important to carefully plan your route before rolling down the driveway. Anytime you can bypass major metropolitan arteries and hazardous stretches for safer routes less traveled, you’re ahead of the game. 

Stay Ahead of California Traffic Jams and Weather Conditions 

There are several low-cost and free traffic apps on the market, including Waze, Google Maps, and MapQuest. The best of these includes real-time traffic reports and suggest alternate routes to avoid congestion as much as possible when traveling all over the country. Just use your search engine to “find traffic apps.” 

Of particular interest to California drivers is the no-charge QuickMap from Caltrans. Motorists with the QuickMap app installed on their smartphones can adjust driving routes in the state with real-time notifications of challenges and alternates. Just be sure and pull over before checking your phone if you hear an alert. 

Also, consult a weather app before your travels so you’re not confronted with unexpected rainfall or wildfire smoke to slow things down. 

With today’s digital technology in its many forms, you have easy access to information that will tell you when — and where — to travel throughout Southern California during even the busiest summers. 

This gets us to our next good-sense suggestion. 

Timing Your SoCal Summer Road Trips 

If you live in SoCal, you have one advantage our state’s millions of visitors don’t have. Namely, you can save certain road trips for the off-season when the road-sharing challenges might not be quite as bad. 

For instance, you might find a noticeable ease in traffic patterns if you drive just one week before Memorial Day or the week or two after Labor Day. You’ll get the same sunny SoCal climate but fewer vacationers. Another tip: Travel during the week when the kids are still in school. 

There are additional strategic moves you can make. For instance, if you and your family decide to celebrate the summer holidays closer to home rather than taking in destinations hours away, it’s sure to be a decision you won’t regret. 

But when summer traveling can’t be avoided or scheduled for off-season, give yourself extra time to get where you’re going. If you can dodge drive-time hours or get there during the week instead of cramming all activities over a weekend, you might find yourself on somewhat less congested — and safer — highways. 

Dodge Tourist Magnets if They’re Not Your Destination 

There’s nothing more frustrating than finding yourself stuck in a traffic jam on your way to a destination that wasn’t even your intended target. It feels like being an innocent bystander stumbling into a chaotic situation. Wrong time, wrong place. 

This scenario becomes an easy trap to fall into during the lively summer season when SoCal is buzzing with day and night activities. The coastal cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, and Santa Monica draw in many tourists who yearn for sunshine, sandy beaches, and entertainment. 

To ensure a smooth journey, it’s essential to plan your travels carefully and dodge the creeping traffic heading towards or away from popular tourist destinations like Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal Plaza, Universal City; Disneyland on Disney Drive in Anaheim; and SeaWorld San Diego on Sea World Drive. 

These well-known attractions are just a glimpse of some of the busiest spots in the area. As you embark on longer-distance travels, conduct an online search of leading SoCal summer attractions and events. This way, you can be aware of where not to go or plan ahead to navigate the experience as seamlessly as possible. 

By staying informed and making thoughtful preparations, you can avoid the frustration of getting caught in unnecessary traffic and make the most of your summer adventures. 

Drive Safely 

This seems obvious, doesn’t it? And yet, you’ve seen enough reckless California drivers in action to know that this good advice is not universally known or accepted. Your own best defense is to not drive like everyone else sharing the roadways with you. 

Always wear your seatbelts, observe posted speed limits, and slow down when the California weather stirs things up. 

When traffic volume allows it, try to maintain the three-second rule. That’s a matter of putting a space of at least that much time between your car and the vehicle ahead of you. When the weather is bad, try to further extend the in-between distance. 

There’s an economic bonus in following this tip. In addition to making your summer trips safer for you and your loved ones, you’ll be keeping your car insurance rates as low as possible by not turning in excess claims. 

And speaking of car insurance… 

Find Cheap Auto Insurance That Fits Your SoCal Summer Travel Needs 

Meet with an independent auto insurance agent before your seasonal motoring adventures begin. Independent brokers are contracted to work with multiple major insurance carriers, so they can compare rates and bring you the best possible deals from brands you already know and trust. 

That’s only one of the strategies independent brokers practice to keep your rates so affordable. They can also show you how to find cheap auto insurance by bundling your coverage. That’s a matter of taking out policies with insurance companies you might already be doing business with for your homeowners, life, or other lines of coverage. That decision can earn you fat discounts. 

The cost of coverage also stays lower if you have more than one vehicle to insure. 

Your independent auto insurance agent will explain the many advantages of carrying a full-service plan, including roadside assistance. With this feature, you’ll have access to a phone dispatcher 24/7, including nights, weekends, and holidays. Your dispatcher will send assistance after an accident or when you run out of fuel, get a flat tire, are left stranded with a dead battery, or lose mobility for any reason. 

In short, your independent auto insurance agent will ask you questions and discuss a range of coverage options to tailor your affordable auto insurance policy to your unique transportation needs. 

Cheap Car Insurance for SoCal Summers 

You’re looking forward to your next endless SoCal summer. And you should be. Start by driving carefully and taking the sensible precautions we’ve shared here. 

And contact your independent insurance agent, who will answer all your questions and find you the most affordable car insurance on the market. Just call Cost-U-Less Insurance at (800) 390-4071. Or get a quick quote online. We also invite you to visit us in person at a California Cost-U-Less location near you.