3 Ways To Prioritize Safety on a Family Road Trip
03 Feb 2023
Image by digital designer from Pixabay
There are few experiences more memorable or rewarding than a family road trip. Unleashing your inner road warrior alongside the people you love most in the world can be an incredible bonding experience.
But your dream excursion with the family can quickly turn into a nightmare if you don’t plan ahead. To be sure, no one wants to think about all the things that could go wrong when you’re out in the world exploring unfamiliar surroundings with your kids, fur babies, and significant other in tow.
However, by making safety a top priority long before you and your family even pull out of your driveway, you can ensure that your road trip is memorable in only the truest and best sense of the word. This article provides three strategies for putting safety first on your next family road trip.
Get Your Vehicle Road-worthy
This tip is probably the most obvious, but it’s also perhaps the most important — and the easiest to underplay. However, getting your vehicle road trip ready is about more than just checking the oil and filling the gas tank.
You need to ensure that your wheels are prepared to take on any road conditions your journey may dish out, from rain to snow to heat to ice. This should include, at a minimum, ensuring that you have the right tires for the right conditions.
If you’re travelling during the winter season, for instance, having a good set of winter tires can help your vehicle manage even the most treacherous of road conditions.
It’s also important to outfit your roadside emergency kit to ensure you’re ready for any contingency, from a flat tire to a dead battery and everything in between. The kits should also include any provisions your family might need while you make the necessary repairs or wait for assistance. So be sure to pack, at the very least, non-perishable snacks, water, blankets, a flashlight, and a first aid kit.
Outfit the Kids With Safety Tech
As fun and exciting as a family road trip can be, they’re not without their share of anxiety, especially for parents of young children. Getting separated from your kid when you’re away from home is probably every Mom and Dad’s worst fear.
The good news, though, is that today’s technology can truly put those fears to rest at long last. Smartwatches designed specifically for children, for example, often come equipped with GPS tracking capabilities. This means that the kids’ watches can be synced to their parents’ devices, enabling Mom and Dad to know exactly where their rugrats are at all times. When you’re in an unfamiliar environment, there’s perhaps no greater peace of mind than that.
Plan Ahead (But Not Too Much)
Designing a family road trip that will go down in family history as not only one of the most spectacular but also the most secure vacation ever takes some planning. The last thing you want to do is get on the road and find yourself unprepared for the surprises you encounter.
The key is to do your research but also expect–and prepare for–the unexpected. When you’re travelling with kids, for instance, it’s a good idea to plan your route ahead of time to ensure that you’re not unwittingly venturing into hazardous territory.
It’s also a good idea to know where and how to access help if you need it. Identify where the nearest hospitals and police stations are at each planned stop along the way. The odds are, of course, that you’ll never need this information. But, as the saying goes, it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
And when you’re planning your route, you also need to build in a lot of extra time for frequent, often unexpected, stops. Road-tripping with kids, after all, is a different animal than hitting the road solo or with your partner. To prevent them from getting too rambunctious, restless, over-fatigued, or sick from exhaustion, you’re going to need to stop often to let the little ones stretch, eat, play, and sleep.
The Takeaway
Taking a family road trip can be a perfect way to make memories with your kids that last a lifetime. But if you want your family adventure to be all that it can be, the first order of business is safety. The good news, though, is that it’s not all that difficult to ensure that your excursion is both fun and secure. You just need to do a little bit of advanced planning.
First and foremost, you need to ensure that your vehicle is ready to take on whatever road conditions your destination can dish out. You will also want to trick out your kids with the technology they need to keep in contact with you, even when they’re tempted to wander off while exploring. It’s also important to plan your journey with safety in mind. Explore your route, make sure you have access to help when you need it, and don’t forget to allow frequent breaks so that the kiddos — and parents — can rest and recharge.
Indiana Lee
Indiana Lee lives in the Northwest and has a passion for the environment and wellness. She draws her inspiration from nature and makes sure to explore the outdoors regularly with her two dogs. Indiana has experience in owning and operating her own business. Feel free to follow her on Twitter @indianalee3.
Recommended Posts
It’s Always 5 O’Clock at Margaritaville Beach House in Key West
28 Mar 2023 - Florida Keys, North America, Travel, United States
