With nearly 3,500 miles of shoreline, Texas offers some of the nation’s best beach party destinations. School’s out, and it’s time for a beach party in Texas with old friends, new friends, or family. Head to
South Padre Island
,
Boca Chica Beach
,
Mustang Island
, or
Rockport Beach
, and you’re bound to have a great beach party in the Lone Star State.
Regardless of your ocean-side destination, the best beach party you can organize is one that is smartly planned, safe, and worry-free. Indeed, there are a variety of issues that could pop up unexpectedly and throw a wrench in your beach-going plans (like a vehicle breakdown that could prevent you from getting there).
Automotive Tips for a Beach Party in Texas
You could just throw some stuff in the trunk and head to the beach, but you know that cars are complicated and sometimes fickle beasts. To have a great beach party, start with these tips and tricks to keep your vehicle in shape:
- Engine coolant: Engines and air conditioning generate heat, but a faulty cooling system could cripple your ride! Fix leaks and have your cooling system checked to keep it from overheating.
- Greenhouse effect: Parked in the sun all day, the inside of your car will quickly soar over 100°F. Keep things measurably cooler with solar windows shades and window tint.
- Seat protection: Sand and sweat are a fact of beach party life, but you can keep these from wrecking your car with washable seat covers and full-coverage floor mats.
- Cooling off–returning to the car: The fastest way to cool off your car at the end of the day isn’t the turn on the air conditioning. Open the passenger windows a few inches, then open and close the driver’s door a few times to flush out the hot air.
- Cooling off–while driving: On the road, not everyone likes the windows down, so have your air conditioning system checked by a professional and replace the cabin filter for good air flow.
Some of this you can do yourself, but a pre-trip inspection is a good idea if you aren’t mechanically-inclined. It’s great insurance against party-thrashing breakdowns, too!
Safe Teen Beach Party Tips
Most any beach party in Texas is a guaranteed good time, but just getting there and back can be risky. The Automobile Association of America (AAA) reports car crashes involving teen drivers typically result in over 1,000 fatalities , which occur during summer’s “ 100 Deadliest Days ” on America’s roads.
Here are 4 factors to keep in mind as you drive to or from your beach party:
- Keep your attention away from unexpected distractions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that 60% of teen traffic fatalities involve distracted teen drivers. While driving, stay focused on the road–if the need arises, let a passenger send/receive messages, adjust the radio, or help navigate.
- Try to refrain from driving at night. The AAA also reports 36% of fatalities occurred when teens drive at night, which requires a slightly enhanced set of driving skills and more experience. Choose a driver with more experience or consider staying overnight.
- Speed limits are laws, not suggestions. Teen drivers have less experience judging and reacting to changing road and traffic conditions. Speed only makes it worse. Driving the speed limit is safer, and also gets better fuel economy, which is better for everyone!
- Say “no” to drugs and alcohol. Not only are most of these illegal for anyone younger than 21, they also heavily impair judgment and driving ability, no matter how old or experienced the individual is. If the atmosphere changes to an uncomfortable one and you need a safe ride home, call your family or use a rideshare or designated driver service, like Dryver.com .
Are you throwing a beach party in Texas? We hope you have a great time, and maybe we’ll see you there. If not, use these tips and tricks and share them with your friends, so everyone can have a great day in the sun.