10 Summer Travel Safety Tips For Families

Summer time is almost here! For many families, this means it's time for a road trip! We're hoping to go to Ohio this summer to see my grandparents so they can see the kids and meet Xander, our newest addition!

Traveling can be very stressful, especially with small children. There is a LOT to think about! How will you keep the kids entertained? Have you mapped out rest stops for the inevitable bathroom break requests? How will you drown out the constant drone of "Are we there yet?" Yep...Traveling with small children can be quite an adventure in itself!

While you've probably already thought of ways to engage your little travelers during your trip, have you thought about safety while on the road? Many people take for granted that their vacations will go smoothly and without a single hitch. Most of the time, this is the case, and the worst thing that happens is a child might have an accident, get motion sickness, or beat up their siblings in the backseat.  But...It is still very smart to plan for the unexpected. Here are 10 tips on how to keep YOUR family safe during summer trips:

1. ALWAYS make sure car seats are properly installed and are appropriate for your child. It is now recommended that even toddlers sit rear-facing!
   
2. Make sure to have a fully-stocked First Aid kit in the vehicle. You never know when a band-aid might come in handy!
3. Always make sure that any medications your family may need are kept in a cooler to protect them from the extreme heat that occurs in a parked car during stops.
   
4. Make sure someone close to you knows your itinerary and check in with them to let them know you've arrived safely. This way, if they do not hear from you due to an unexpected event, they will be able to alert proper authorities of your plans and where you might be located.
5. Always make sure your children know how to reach you should you become separated. If a child is lost and cannot find a parent, it is actually recommended that children find a WOMAN to assist them, as most women will not allow a child to remain alone and will not rest until they find help for the child.
6. Keep a supply of shelf-stable food and drink for your family in the vehicle. If you break down in a remote location, your family will still need to be fed and kept hydrated.
   
7. Make sure you have performed required maintenance on your vehicle. This means tune-ups, oil changes, and making sure your tires are properly inflated.
8.  Make sure to lock your home and alert a trusted neighbor that you will be out of town, as well as ask that they keep an eye on your property and report any suspicious activity.
9. Do not drive and multi-task. Eating, texting, talking on the phone, and applying make-up while driving can have harmful and sometimes fatal consequences.
10. Do not drive while tired. This is JUST as dangerous as drunk driving! If you get sleepy, please have another adult take over or find a suitable place to safely nap.

Here are some bonus safety tips from the folks at Safelite Auto Glass, a trusted leader in the auto glass industry for more than 60 years:

• Think you can ignore a chip in your windshield? Think again! The windshield provides up to 30% of your vehicles structural integrity, and a chip smaller than 6 inches (or the size of a dollar bill) can easily be repaired by filling it with a special resin.

• A chip could turn into a crack at any time, often when you are least expecting it. Windshield repair is often a safe and economical alternative to a full windshield replacement.

• Scheduling a windshield chip repair is easy! Companies like Safelite AutoGlass provide mobile service – wherever your car is – often within 24 hours of your initial call.

• Safelite AutoGlass brings you peace of mind by emailing you a Technician Profile before your appointment, showing you a photograph and credentials of the technician coming to your home or place of business.

• Forget do-it-yourself repair kits. The resin could easily shrink or yellow, lowering the quality of the repair. Safelite AutoGlass uses a patented repair process… A vacuum is created over the damaged area and the resin penetrates and fills the finest micro-cracks. The technician pulls off the vacuum changer and the UV light hardens the resin. Safelite’s resin is proven to be the strongest and longest lasting on the market.

• The repair often takes just 30 minutes, and the result is barely visible and the windshield is strong again.

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What safety tips do you have for family travel? Where are you planning to go this summer? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

***Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Safelite blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.***