With Summer rapidly approaching and the cost of gas going down, road trips are on the rise. Whether you are taking a trip across country or across town, here are a few little known tips to getting to your destination easier and safer.

Driving on major highways can be very nerve racking, especially if you are unfamiliar with that highway. One problem drivers have is not knowing whether your exit will be on the right side or left side of the road. As you are approaching your exit, notice the location of your exit number on the interchange or street guide sign. If the exit number is on the upper left, your exit will be on the left. If on the right, your exit is on the right. Below you can see that exit 13 will be a left exit.

Another tip comes in handy on smaller dark roads or roads under construction. The black and yellow diagonal striped signs may look like just a caution sign, but it has another purpose. Whichever direction the downward slope of the stripes are heading is the side of the sign you are suposed to pass on. For instance, below the slope is down and to the left. This would indicate that you are to stay to the left of the sign (usually to avoid an obstruction).

A final driving tip is useful when trying to figure out which direction you are heading while driving on the interstate. The rule is that single or double digit numbered highways that head east-west are even numbered while highways that head north-south are odd numbered. The three digit numbered highways are spur, circumferential or radial loop routes that branch off from the parent highway. Spur routes are assigned an odd first digit, and do not return to its parent. On the other hand, circumferential and  radial loop routes are given an even first digit. These routes return you to the parent highway. Below you see the road being traveled is 695 North which will eventually take the driver back to 95 North.

Hopefully, this information will help you when traveling. For more information on the highway system and driving laws, please visit your state’s department of transportation website.

-JB