When we load up the car for summer vacation, it is imperative that we take certain safety precautions. Keeping your family protected is the number one priority. Summer vacation on the road can be particularly dangerous if you are not careful to prepare beforehand. Fortunately, if we take some basic steps to prepare for the worst, then road trips can be a heck of a bunch of fun. Here are some very important steps to take before you get out for that summer vacation.
Get your car squared away
If you were to book a ticket on an airplane, train or other public transportation, you would be quite angry if you found out that they did not make certain that the transportation was not travel-ready. Why then, do so many people climb into their cars for vacation without doing the same? Even if you consider your car to be in top notch condition, driving for long distances does something different to a vehicle. You need to have it checked by a respected technician to make certain it is travel-ready. Check the tires, battery, hoses, belts, exhaust, wipers and all of the fluids. This alone could save you a ton of roadside problems.
Buy (or prepare) an emergency kit
This is something that can’t be overstated. When you make your emergency kit, consider the weather that you will be driving through. If you are driving through the Ozarks, you might have a different kit than if you were headed to Daytona. Staples to always have include a flashlight, water, flares, backup food, cell phone and duct tape or electrical tape. There are a million things you can add, but just think over rationally what you might need in the area you could break down in.
Consider a GPS
GPS systems are fantastic and are no longer terribly expensive. If you can possibly afford one, it could literally save your life one day. At a minimum it will save you time and frustration.
Make advance reservations
Don’t wing it when it comes to staying somewhere at night. The bottom line is that you could end up with nowhere to go in the wrong part of town.
Join a roadside assistance program
These are fantastic to have and they can quite literally be the difference between life and death. It only takes one time of needing these folks before you realize that they are worth every single penny. Loosen the purse strings and buy that security. Just know what you are buying and what you are not.
Give the kids something to do
I have no idea what the percentages are of wrecks that are caused by distracting kids, but my guess is that it would be way up there. Bring the entertainment along for the ride and you will be very glad that you did. You might not keep them quiet but you will certainly get more peace than you would without anything for them to do.
Make sure someone knows where you are and where you are going
This is absolutely vital when you are traveling. You need to have someone in place to know your destination. If something were to happen, then you have a plan in place to get to safety. It is very important to leave an itinerary for someone.