Check your vehicle's tire pressure, oil, and water/coolant carefully before and during your trip. A little attention along these lines can prevent a lot of headache-and being trapped by the side of the road in severe heat is not only unpleasant, but potentially hazardous.
Stock up with more drinking water than you think you'll ever need. Better to end up with some left over after your trip than end up stranded without any.
Travel with a companion, preferably someone you know well and trust. You're less likely to be the victim of crime when not traveling solo, for one thing, and it's also easier to stay alert while driving when you have someone to chat with.
Be incredibly prudent about picking up hitchhikers or even in assisting someone in apparent hardship. Better to call the police to assist someone with a flat tire than risk your own safety by assuming they aren't a threat.
Keep your cool, figuratively speaking, in the event of potential "road rage" scenarios-more prevalent in the summertime, when more people are on the road and heat can lead to agitation. You never know who might be armed, and there's no point in risking your neck over someone cutting you off.
Make sure you're always fully alert when driving during the summer, when it's easy to let the heat melt you into a stupor. Get a good night's sleep, keep the A/C on as much as possible, eat healthy foods and take turns driving if you're in a group.
Keep a well-charged cell phone handy and make sure you're signed up with a roadside assistance/towing company. If you do break down in the middle of nowhere, your well-being could count on a good cell phone and roadside help.
