Why it pays to share driving duties

The open road beckons millions of drivers each year, particularly when summer vacation season heats up. A 2025 survey from researchers at GSTV found that 83 percent of participants planned to drive to their summer vacation destination, and 60 percent of respondents indicated they planned to drive more than 300 miles.
Driving vacations afford travelers an opportunity to move on their own timelines and make as many stops as they see fit. But all that driving can be tiring, particularly for the person behind the wheel. Vacationers have much to gain from sharing driving duties during a road trip.

• Reduce accident risk: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that more than 600 people lost their lives in drowsy driving accidents in 2023. No matter how many miles drivers insist they can drive when a road trip begins, drowsiness inevitably settles in when spending hour after hour behind the wheel. Sharing driving duties can reduce risk for drowsy driving and still enable vacationers to arrive at their destination on time.
• Share costs: Sharing driving duties also can be more budget-friendly. While families vacationing together may need to take separate cars to accommodate their needs, young adults without children can carpool when vacationing to save money on fuel and tolls and also ensure one person is not doing all the driving.
• Minimize discomfort: In addition to the mental strain that emerges when forced to spend hours concentrating on the road in front of them, drivers on long trips tend to experience discomfort when forced to sit in the same position for hours on end. Stiffness in the neck, back and shoulders may be accompanied by muscle tension. Back strain also can develop if drivers aren’t given a break from driving duty, and that strain could persist throughout the vacation. But sharing driving duties allows drivers a little relief from the tension and gives them a chance to change their posture, which can alleviate and prevent back strain.
• More enjoyment: Drivers don’t get much of a chance to enjoy the scenery when tasked with driving for hours on end, and that can make long car trips less enjoyable. Sharing driving duties ensures everyone along for the ride gets a chance to take in the sights or enjoy some in-trip escapism via a tablet or book. That can make long trips more bearable for everyone and offer drivers a well-earned break from the responsibility of driving.
  Even if it’s tempting for drivers to stay behind the wheel for the duration of a long car trip, sharing driving duties is a safer and more enjoyable approach.