Going out for a holiday with your family—whether to a far destination or a near one, with your car, van, or camper—is always fun. It’s a great way to spend quality time together, one that you may not always be able to do at home, especially when you’re busy with all the demands of the day.
In This Article
Considerations Before Your Trip
But as fun as going on a road trip can be, it can also be hampered by little bumps along the way. You’ve got to ensure you won’t let those safety problems get in the way, so you can avoid grumpy tempers and focus on the positive parenting and family fun that your time together should bring. Especially when you’re traveling with children, you’ll want to be twenty steps ahead of your level of readiness, preparing for whatever unexpected may come.
With that said, here are some road trip survival tips for your entire family:
Get Hold Of A Lawyer You Can Trust
Before you even start your trip, it’s best to have your contacts ready if you want to be prepared for whatever contingencies may come your way. While you may be a careful driver, you can’t speak for everyone else on the road. Truth be told, there are many reckless drivers who only think of themselves and not those around them.
If an accident does happen, it’s to your advantage to have the contact details of your family attorney or your trusted personal injury lawyer from Sadaka Associates and other trusted firms in your home area. With one, you’d know who to call in the event of an incident.
Remember that having a lawyer is important, and you have to be cautious about the statements you make right after the accident. There might be things you say that could be taken against you, so you’ve got to be careful. It’s best to wait for the advice of your lawyer on what to say such that nothing will hamper your legal claims after, especially if there were injuries to your family or damage to your car.
2. Keep A Record Of Your Kids’ Medical History
Along with a record of your lawyer’s contact details and information, be sure as well to have a record of your kids’ doctors and any medical data that’s needed. You never know when your kids are going to get sick or when you’re going to need medical attention during or after your road trip.
Keeping a record of your kids’ medical history will make it easier for the new attending hospital to administer the right care as they’d have information on possible allergies and sensitivities, among other things.
In the event that the emergency or injury is serious, the new attending physician can also coordinate with your kids’ usual pediatrician or doctor such that there’s a smooth flow of information on the care and procedures needed to be performed.
3. Don’t Forget The Essentials
Each family should have their packing list, depending on their preferences, needs, lifestyle, and activities they’re going to have during and after the road trip when you’ve reached the destination.
But there are certain essentials applying to all kinds of travelers that you must always have in your vehicle throughout the trip. Here are some of them:
First aid kit
This is a must. You never know whatever injuries or health problems you’re going to have and where the nearest hospital or clinic will be. Before you can have the sick family member checked by a medical professional, it helps to be able to administer first aid to possibly slow down its progress or to provide temporary relief.
Bottled water
Because you’re traveling in your vehicle, there’s no need to be worried or concerned about the fluid limits you can bring. Take as much water as you can bring with you. This will keep your family hydrated especially on long drives, so you won’t have to keep making a stop at a convenience store.
Plus, the more water you bring, the less you’d buy and the more environmentally friendly you’d be throughout the trip.
Plastic bags for your trash
Between soiled clothes, food wrappers, and others, you’re sure to have trash accumulated throughout the trip. The last thing you’d want is to have your car end up like a trash bin. When you’ve got designated plastic bags for your trash, this makes it so much easier to clean up when you’ve arrived back home. All you need to do is to pick up the sealed trash bag and throw it in the bin.
When you bring the essentials above, you’re increasing the likelihood that your road trip is going to pass without a hitch.
4. Write Out A Packing List
Don’t pack at the last minute! Doing so is just the recipe for disaster, especially when you’ve got kids to take with you throughout the trip. Write a packing list at least a week before your scheduled trip, and then start packing your things early.
When you’re that prepared, you still have time to replenish supplies you may have thought you still have but no longer do, so you don’t scramble during the last minute to try and get hold of those.
The earlier you start packing, the more prepared you are by making sure you’ve got everything you need—and so much more, in case of unexpected turns along the way.
Conclusion
When it comes to planning for a road trip, there’s no such thing as overplanning. Among other things, it’s better to pack early than to find out later you’ve forgotten something important for your trip.
Also, no matter how much of a seasoned road traveler your family may be, each trip is always different than the last one as you never know what may come along the way. The more ready you are for contingencies and the unexpected, the higher the aptitude for fun and safety you can grant your family. Consider the ideas mentioned here as you prepare for your journey.
