THE festival season is here which means a lot of us will be climbing over dusty boxes and making our way through the shed like it’s some kind of assault course to get to our camping gear. Now all you’ve got to do is pack for the weekend and plan your drive there and back.

Here are some top driving tips to help you make the best out of your weekend.

Choose a designated driver. If this is you, make sure you set the rules from the beginning. Are you going to allow your friends to drink alcohol in your vehicle? Bear in mind that their behaviour could attract the authorities to you.

Would a car smelling of alcohol be the best thing for you? Could you get peer pressured to having “just one drink” with friends? We recommend for the driver and passenger to not drink any alcohol in the vehicle – not even one.

Planning your trip. Do you know where you’re going? Have you taken into account the likelihood of traffic? Looking at the route of your journey and the time it takes beforehand gives you a chance to determine how many breaks you need and where you can stop off.

Have you pre-booked parking? The last thing you want to do is to get to your destination and stress over finding a parking space. Pre-planning your parking spot will save you this hassle. If you’re parking in a field, make sure you check the weather – the last thing you want is to go back to a water-logged field with your wheels stuck in the mud!

Leave your car alone. You’ve been at the festival for a few hours and the party has started. It’s getting a bit chilly but you’ve left your jacket in your car. Do you go and get it? No, not if you’ve been drinking alcohol.

Even if you’re not in the driver’s seat but still accessing your vehicle, you could be charged for accessing your vehicle when over the prescribed limit. Instead of having to try to explain to a traffic officer that you weren’t planning to drive, it’s best to avoid going back to your car at all.

Richard Gladman

IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards