Road trips with the whole family are a daring adventure many families experience. Whether you love them or despise making them, you still have to cross of a number of checklist items to keep you and your family safe from harm. Common sense dictates making sure the car is in tip-top shape with a service appointment prior to departure, but that’s not the only precaution parents should take when the family goes on a road trip.
Pack Sunscreen
Not that many people include sunscreen on a road trip unless they’re headed to the beach. Even if your trip is to the mountains in the dead of winter, you need to pack some sunscreen in the car. Summer is not the only time of year dangerous UV rays affect your skin, and you should war sunscreen every day of the year. Protect your kids and yourself by applying sunscreen in the car to protect your skin from the light coming in through the windows.
Keep Heavy Items Packed Low
Anything you have in the car that might become a dangerous object if you have to slam on the brakes suddenly needs to be kept as low as possible. In the floorboard or beneath the rest of your packed items is the best idea. Let’s say you have to slam on your brakes when a semi-truck's tire blows to avoid getting into an accident. Professionals, like Andrew Goldner, an Atlanta semi-truck accident lawyer, know how devastating these accidents can be. You don’t want your kid’s stroller to come flying over the top of the backseat where it was positioned in the trunk of your SUV and slam anyone in the head.
Pack an Emergency Kit
Everyone needs an emergency kit in their car on a road trip. Pack a flashlight and additional batteries, plenty of water and nonperishable food items, warm blankets, a small radio, and a first-aid kit. You never know what might happen, and being prepared is crucial to your family’s safety on any road trip.
Tell Someone You’re Leaving
The most important thing you can do on a road trip is have someone at home with all your information. Give the grandparents a map of your journey with all the routes you plan on taking marked. Make sure they have your emergency information, your license plate number as well as the make and model and color of your vehicle. Make sure they know where you plan on stopping each night, when you plan on arriving at your destinations, and be sure to give them a call when you reach each destination. If anything happens to you during your trip, this might be the fastest way to alert someone of danger.
Road trips are meant to be fun. They’re a great way to build lasting family memories and experiences. However, being unprepared for the many dangers of road trips can cost you dearly. Take every precaution, and don’t consider anything worth ignoring before you depart.
Bio: Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn't on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym. Follow her on Twitter @RachelleWilber and Facebook.
