Tip gas-station attendants. A dollar or two for gas and three dollars for a windshield cleaning and oil check, says Pauline Frommer, an MSN Travel Expert and the creator of the Pauline Frommer Guidebooks.

Follow the rules of the road. “My family and I took a two-week road trip in Italy,” says Frommer. “What made the trip so radically different was that everyone religiously observed the rules of the road — they passed on the left and, once they were done, got out of the passing lane. I can’t tell you how much more pleasant and safe this makes road-tripping.” Adds Paul Ponzio Jr., president of the CVS Samaritan program, which provides free emergency road service in nine states, “A little courtesy goes a long way. If you slow down to let people merge or switch lanes, it takes the stress away for a lot of folks.” And everyone will get where they’re going faster and safer.

Keep three car lengths between you and the car ahead. “That’s just smart,” says Frommer. “The cushion gives you a chance to think should you need to swerve or brake unexpectedly.”