This post is sponsored by Allstate. All opinions are my own.
Last month, my husband and I visited Philadelphia with his parents. There's nothing like being and looking like a tourist in your own city. Philadelphia is such a beautiful city, and there's so much to see! We traveled into the city and then walked for blocks, which turned into miles through the city streets. We visited some of my favorite monuments and historical locations, which made me feel like a true Philadelphian, especially because we went on the 4th of July--you'll notice a super-patriotic theme when you see my outfit.
Last month, my husband and I visited Philadelphia with his parents. There's nothing like being and looking like a tourist in your own city. Philadelphia is such a beautiful city, and there's so much to see! We traveled into the city and then walked for blocks, which turned into miles through the city streets. We visited some of my favorite monuments and historical locations, which made me feel like a true Philadelphian, especially because we went on the 4th of July--you'll notice a super-patriotic theme when you see my outfit.
We live outside the city, about 45 minutes, but with traffic, it can take upwards of an hour or more. Driving into Philly is probably one of my least favorite things. There's always traffic, it's always packed, something is most likely under construction, and there are aggressive drivers everywhere! Nothing is more intimidating than driving on a road you're not used to, either.
In today's blog post, I want to share a few traveling tips with you + my favorite places to visit in Philadelphia. If you live in the Philly area, these travel tips are 100% for you, but even if you don't live on the East Coast, they will still pertain to you.
Philadelphia landed itself in the bottom 15 of the 2019 Allstate America's Best Drivers Report®, and that startled me! This report aims to make America's roads safer and save lives. These bottom 15 ranked cities have more accidents and claims among drivers versus the national average. For the 15th anniversary of the report this year, the company also looked at which streets have more claims than others in each of the bottom 15 cities. Calling these "Risky Roads," Allstate hopes to bring awareness to the issue and bring the community together to advocate for safer road conditions, and that's where our knowledge is power. The more we're educated on this safety issue, the more alert we will be, just in case, because with knowledge accidents can be prevented.
In Philadelphia, Roosevelt Boulevard was our "Risky Road," and the city, in general, landed #190/200 for best drivers. Looking deeper into the statistics, the national average for hard braking and sudden stops per 1,000 miles is 19, while in Philadelphia, it ranks at 43.9 per 1,000 miles! The years between claims is also shocking--6.3 years vs. the national average of 10.57 for the year 2019.
If you're interested in seeing how you compare to these statistics, check out my blog post I wrote last year & partnered with Allstate as well: Holiday Traveling Driving Safety Tips where I share one of my favorite Apps, Drivewise. Drivewise will keep track of your recent driving history through GPS and let you know how many sudden stops you've made within each trip. Having this knowledge helps you be aware of any aggressive or unsafe driving behaviors that need to be changed.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, preventable human factors, like drunk, distracted, and drowsy driving, speeding, and failure to use safety features contribute to 94% of crashes. Let that sink in--94% of all crashes are preventable!
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Here are my top six traveling tips so that you can keep yourself and others safe:
One // Always keep your eyes on the road
This sounds like a no brainer, but honestly, I see so many people texting and driving on the highway than ever before. Have you ever thought someone is day drunk in front of you and then quickly pass them and realize they have their eyes glued to their phone?! If you do that, you are the reason for unnecessary accidents. If your phone is that big of a distraction, put it in your bag in the seat next to you, or even better, put it in the back seat if you're that tempted. No text message is ever worth risking your life.
If you ever do need to use your phone, utilize your phones safety features and talk to text or ask Siri to make the phone call for you. There should never be a reason to use your phone on the road--if you need to, find a safe place to pull over.
Two // Obey the speed limit
Seriously, this is a no-brainer as well--unless you like paying speeding tickets for no reason...and putting others in danger. The speed limits are put in place for everyone's safety. This means that in order to drive as you should on a particular stretch of road, you should be driving X MPH that's posted. Running late is never an excuse to drive recklessly. Give yourself extra time to get places if you need to get somewhere at a certain time.
Three // Ensure everyone in your car is buckled up on every trip
There's a viral image that keeps popping up on my newsfeed. It's of two car seats in front of a completely crushed car, however, the car seats are in perfect condition. Be sure to keep yourself educated and up to date on car seat safety features and state laws to ensure your child is safely secured in their car seat.
Seat belts go for adults, too. You should be buckled during each and every trip. Should you get into an accident, the car can be jolted forward causing you to break & crash through the windshield. Utilize the safety features your car has, because they are there for a reason.
Four // Never drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs
The number of tragic stories I've seen on the news or heard from friends about someone they know being struck by a drunk driver devastates me. Someone that went to my high school was recently hit in a head-on collision by a drunk driver, and unfortunately, he was killed instantly. Life is too precious, and when you make poor choices, you're not only affecting yourself, you're affecting those around you, too. I always say, when in doubt, wait it out. I beg you, always, always give yourself more than enough time to sober up before driving. If you need to, grab an Uber. Your life is more precious than saying you'll be fine when you're definitely not fine.
Five // Leave distance between you and other vehicles
This is probably my biggest pet peeve among drivers in my area--heck throughout all of America. Everyone is always driving so aggressively and literally riding on your back bumper. I always give myself a generous amount of space on the PA Turnpike where the speed limit is 70 MPH in most areas. This gap that I give myself in between the car in front of me is often shortened, because the person behind me doesn't understand that just because there is space between cars, I'm still driving the same speed they want to go.
This space is there for a reason and allows you to stop safely should you need to slam on your breaks due to debris in the road, a deer runs out in front of you on the highway, someone's tire blows--the possibilities that could happen are endless. This is why you always leave space.
I remember growing up, I always heard the speed you're going equates to how many car lengths should be between you and the driver in front of you. If you're traveling 70 MPH, there should be 7 car lengths in between the cars. If you're traveling 25 MPH, there should be 2.5 car lengths. Try to keep this in mind the next time you're zipping on the highway. Here are some more highway driving safety tips.
Six // Have an emergency roadside safety kit
It's important to keep an emergency kit in the trunk of your car. This should include things like caution signs, flares, a flashlight, water bottles, your spare tire, and a jack. You'll also want to consider a roadside service for when you need a tow or help to change a tire. Roadside services are an amazing thing to have and are well worth the money.
Just a few months ago, my battery went on my car, and I needed a tow to our car shop, and with my roadside assistance, they tow within 25 miles for free! Allstate Roadside Assistance provides options for coverage whether you're in need now, want to add it to your auto policy, or you're interested in a roadside membership.
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Top 10 Places to Visit in Philadelphia
Independence Hall National Park & The Liberty Bell
Get close with American history and see the Liberty Bell--a historic symbol of American freedom. You will also see gorgeous architecture and walk through the beautiful Independence Hall National Park. This is also where the Declaration of Independence was signed!
Philadelphia Museum of Art
If you love art, this is your place! I love the Monet paintings that are on exhibit. This museum makes for the perfect date day. Be sure to check their pay by donation schedule to make your trip even more budget-friendly!
Reading Terminal Market
This is the most amazing indoor farmers market you'll ever visit + enjoy a delish meal!
The Franklin Institute
Have children or want a break from the outdoors?! Stop by the Franklin Institute for interactive science exhibits.
Philadelphia City Hall
When we visited Philly, I walked through this building for the first time, and the architecture is stunning!
The Betsy Ross House
This landmark is where Betsy Ross is said to have lived and sewed the very first American flag.
Valley Forge National Historical Park
It's not directly in the city, but I love it! It has beautiful trails and historical monuments from the Revolutionary War. My personal favorite monument is the National Memorial Arch. You've seen this on the blog before! I come to this park all the time for blog photos.
Longwood Gardens
There is nothing more beautiful than a 1,000-acre garden. It's slightly outside of the city, but this botanical garden makes for the perfect date day and photo shoot location.
Philadelphia Zoo
Visit the city's zoo and see over 1,300 animals! Lions, tigers, and bears. Oh my!
Love Park
Ever see the huge LOVE sculpture in the background of someone's photo?! That's Love Park! When we were there last month, I so badly wanted a photo in front of the sculpture, but it was far too crowded that day.
There ya have it--Six traveling tips to keep yourself and others safe on the road, and my top ten places to visit in Philadelphia. Go ahead, take a trip, and visit a beautiful city full of historical monuments and American history. I just know you'll love it!
This post was written as part of the Allstate Influencer Program and sponsored by Allstate. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own. As the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, Allstate is dedicated not only to protecting what matters most, but to guiding people to live the Good Life, every day. Thank you for supporting ACF!
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