10 Tips for Keeping your Family Safe on the Road

1. Get plenty of sleep before the trip!
2. Make sure you have a general car check-up/tuning. (check all of your fluids, gas, tires, and any cracks in windows!)
3. If you’re feeling tired, pull over or get out at a rest area!!
4. No phones! Talking on the phone or texting is dangerous while driving- even more so when you are tired!
5. Only use well-lit locations at night. Don’t stop at gas stations and restuarant that don’t have good lighting.
6. Keep an emergency kit in the car. Every time we travel we also have a cell phone (even a pre-paid one!) for emergencies, along with band-aids, neosporin, gauze, Advil, emergency phone numbers/ID card, etc. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your families safety!
7. Carry extra car fluids in the trunk and fill up your tank at 1/4 full. You don’t want to run out of gas in the middle of nowhere – even if on the interstate. And if your car overheats because the fluids are low you will wish you had some in the car!! It’s safer to have it with you than walking miles to get it!
8. Make sure car seats are installed properly. When traveling with kids you always want to double check that they are in the age/weight appropriate seating. You always want to do this anyways-but especially for road trips.
9. Carry a map/road atlas. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve gotten lost in the middle of nowhere- and if you’re not careful you can run out of gas and really be in trouble! Having a map handy in your car is one way to ensure (if you don’t have a GPS system!) your current location and how to get back to where you are supposed to be!
10. Carry a can of Fix-A-Flat and a self-container car jumper. If you get a flat tire or your car breaks down- these items will help you get to a close location for help safer than walking along a highway!

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