Check out more of the summer blog series here.
A multitude of people prefer going by road rather than by railway, air, or water. When you travel by road, you have the freedom to stop your car anywhere, have some rest, and then resume the journey as per your own convenience. Traveling by road also allows you to spend some quality time with your friends or family, which is probably not possible when you travel by public transport. You get a chance to sit together for hours, have some chit-chat with close ones, and get to know each other more deeply. If you are also planning to have a road trip this year, then here are the top 10 safety tips to follow:
1.
Sleep
well:
Driving when drowsy contributes largely to the number of road accidents every
year. If you are driving the next day, make sure that you get a good nights
sleep. To stay fresh and relaxed, try taking turns with other adults to drive.
2.
Get
your car checked: Before you start your journey, make
sure that the car you are driving is in good physical and mechanical condition.
Get your tires, fluids, belts, battery, and AC checked by a mechanic
beforehand.
3.
Seat
safety: 80% of car and booster seats are not installed
correctly. This can put the travelers, especially children, at high risk of
injury. Take your car to a nearby seat-check facility to get a safety seat
inspection.
4.
Pack
an emergency kit: Your emergency kit during road trip
should include water, flash light, jumper cables, warm blankets, flares,
first-aid kit, tire changing tools, and a fully-charged cell phone.
5.
Safe
from sun: All passengers should use sunglasses and sunblocks,
and get a good sunshade for the backseat. When you leave the car, safety seats
should be covered with blankets, so that they do not become too hot to burn
someone’s skin. Never leave children alone inside the car.
6.
Safety
for kids: All doors and windows should be activated with child
safety locks. Any poisonous substances like washer fluid should be removed from
the backseat. Also look for any choking hazards, such as loose coins between
the cushions, knobs that can pop off quickly, or any potential projectiles.
7.
Get
extra keys: Make copies of your car keys and give
them to different people in the group. This will not only keep you from being
locked out, but will also be of help, in case you lose your set.
8.
Have
a spare tire: Do not forget to take a spare tire, and
get it checked too. If possible, learn how to change a tire. If you get stuck
in the middle of the highway, there may be no help for several miles ahead.
9.
Passport:
If
you are traveling on a cross country border, do not forget to take your
passport and visa along. Also make sure that your passport has enough remaining
time on it.
10.
Roadside
assistance: Sign up for one, as these services may
assist you in case of an emergency, and also set you up with directions and
free maps to your destination. Take their numbers, so that you can contact
them, in case you get stuck somewhere during the trip.
Follow these safety
tips, and you will definitely have a memorable road trip of your lifetime.
Good Morning, Louida! Guess what? There's a very good chance (I'd say more than 75%) that the Conover family will be heading back to Jersey again, this time so we can take advantage of the warm weather and visit the shore...so I'm bookmarking this.
ReplyDeleteTwo road trips...with two under three...Lawd help Scott and I. lol
(Honestly, it really wasn't bad the first time, but I'm feeling comical/dramatic today. ;-)
Thanks for bookmarking Courtney! Guess what road trip we're doing soon? The family and I are road tripping from Atlanta to Memphis, then Memphis to San Antonio, and then San Antonio back to Atlanta, all in one week! That is a lot of on-the-road driving! My girls do really well on road trips- even when they were babies. Just that now we make less stops since I don't have to do feedings and diaper changes.
DeleteI think your kiddos would do well. Drive during their nap time so they will be mostly sleep during the ride.
I really appreciate the sun tips. Cars can get baking hot and its easy to forget that the car set or other things may be too hot for the little ones!! Thanks for sharing. I thought your tips were fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Candy! I remember when my both of my daughters car seats would get really hot and we would have to wait until it would cool down before they sat in it.
DeleteI so needed this a few weeks ago when we traveled 9.5hrs (one way) to Orlando. We're going out a town this weekend too so I will be keeping this in mind as were getting ready. My husband and I spend a lot of time in the car and most of these things I've never thought about. There are no kids traveling with us but I tend to act a little like a child when we have to travel by car haha. Good tips!
ReplyDeleteLOL! Thanks Lisa!
DeleteNot sure if this is a safety tip but.... Store empty grocery bags in the car for possible car sick and towels for spills.
ReplyDeleteI do this Aimee! I also use empty grocery bags as a trash too.
DeleteGetting your car checked is a great point. The last thing anyone needs is something going wonky half way to your destination.....especially with kids in tow!
ReplyDeleteI know right Robin! Not good at all!
DeleteGreat tips! When traveling with small children, take your time and be prepared to make frequent stops for leg stretching and restroom breaks. Heck, that applies to adults, too!
ReplyDeleteYeah we make frequent stops for bathroom breaks and stretching our legs.
DeleteI agree with the extra keys thing. I got locked out of my car one vacation and had to pay $70 for a guy to spend 30 seconds opening it up.
ReplyDeleteNow that really sucks Tiffany!
DeleteI always get the car checked, and get as much rest as possible.. I once had an issue with the car that made me second guess it all everytime.
ReplyDeleteI usually just rent a car to not bother dealing with my own.
DeleteAwesome tips! We love going on road trips. I love the sun protection tip. Our car windows are tinted but the car seat still get's hot so I'll def start covering it with a blanket even when I am just running errands.
ReplyDeleteYeah that is a good thing to do!
DeleteOh, we have roadside assistance! Has saved us on many an occasion. I do need to pack a kit though. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteA great hecklist of some common sense ideas that are so often forgotten!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!!
Alysia
www.mydomesticdish.com
You're welcome!
Deletegreat list thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome!
DeleteThe next time we go on a road trip, which is probably going to be very soon - I need to remember to keep some emergency essentials in the trunk beyond the basic (like jumper cables). One of these days, I would love to have a road trip where we actually stop at sights along the way. My sweetie is an A-to-B driver who likes to get somewhere as soon as possible.
ReplyDeleteSounds kinda like my sweetie too...LOL!
DeleteThese are amazing tips. We are leaving on a trip early on Friday. San Antonio is about 5 hours away and we will have our littlest one with us. I hadn't packed the first aid kit, so I am so excited you shared that. Thank you, Lou! This is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Elayna! Have a fun trip! I'll be in San Antonio soon too.
DeleteSunscreen in the car is so smart! Thanks for the great tips!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteGreat list! Those child safety locks are so important. My 19-month-old now tries to open the door while I'm driving. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteThat's scary! I use to have the child safety lock on too because when my oldest daughter when she was a baby loved playing with the car door lock.
DeleteGreat tips, Louida! Love #1, many do not get enough rest before their road trip. In all things, safety first!
ReplyDeleteThank you Dawn! Getting rest is important!
Deletegreat reminders! we'll do cross country in two months time so your list helps a lot
ReplyDeleteThanks Kero!
DeleteI don't know what i would do without my AAA membership! such great tips!
ReplyDeleteI been determining if I should get AAA.
DeleteI always worry about the car keys. I don't have an extra copy so if something happens to mine, I'm screwed. I'd better fix that!
ReplyDeleteGet to it Liz!
Deletedone all of these except I can't believe I still don't have jumper cables and I don't know how to use them. I'll add to my to-do list. thanks!
ReplyDeleteI have jumper cables but don't know how to use them though. I really need to learn.
DeleteThis is a great list. We don't really travel out of town much during the summer. Most of these tips are great for any road trip.
ReplyDeleteSummer travel is so much fun Katherine! You'll need to do it some day.
Delete