Since summer is almost here and road trip season begins since we love to take those Family Vacations during the summer I wanted to share with you some of my tips to keeping my family safe on the roads. Again this is just some of the precautions I take before or when I'm on the road. There are way to many things that can happen when you're driving so it doesn't hurt to take some precautions to avoid the things you can prevent and keep your family safe. There is no excuse to not practice safe driving methods. I'm sure if everyone did there would be a lot less accidents or deaths behind the wheel.
So I would say...
1. KEEP UP with your cars maintenance. Make sure you get your oil changed and all your yearly maintenance done. You need to make sure your car is always in great shape before you take to the roads. You don't want something to break in your car or short out while you are driving and cause an accident or worse because of it.
So make a calender of when you need to get your old changed or car tuned up.
2. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE GOOD TIRES AND ARE FILLED WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF AIR!!!!!
You would be surprised at how many of us are driving with low air tires since we don't bother to check. You can blow a tire or skid with low air tires. And make sure your tires are worn out. You should get new tires after the designated miles they guaranteed is up.
3. PLAN YOUR ROAD TRIPS. Make sure you mapquest or bring your tom tom gps with you so you don't get your family lost in an unsafe neighborhood.
4. Always make sure your mirrors and seat are adjusted to fit your frame when you are driving. You don't want to be driving and you can't even reach the brakes with your feet.
5. Update emergency equipment! Make sure you have a spare tire and I always have a first aid kit and emergency roadside kit in my car.
6. Make sure you have some sort of Road Side assistance membership like AAA. There is nothing worse than having your car with your family in it stranded by the side of the road and no one to call because you don't have AAA. They have saved me many of times and it's well worth the $40 for the year!
7. DON'T BE A SPEED DEMON! There is no reason to speed especially when you have your family in the car.
8. DON'T HAVE KIDS MOVING AROUND IN THE CAR. Have them in their proper car seat or sitting in the back seat with their seat belts on! They shouldn't be jumping around. Pets should also be waring a pet harness and safety belt.
9. DON'T USE YOUR PHONE OR WATCH TV WHILE DRIVING! I see tons of SUV's with those built in TV's and people watching tv's as they drive and Don't use your phone or text while your driving! It only takes a second to look away from the road and you can cause an accident.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...
10. WHERE YOUR SEAT BELT! EVERYONE IN YOUR CAR SHOULD FASTEN THEIR SEAT BELT AS SOON AS THEY SIT DOWN IN YOUR CAR! I won't pull onto the road unless I know everyone is wearing a seat belt.
Those are all my tips.
Here are some more tips from Safelite:
- 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.
- Some unethical companies – windshield bullies -- take advantage of the fact that insurance companies cover the cost of the repair, so they’re using it as a way to file fraudulent charges to the insurance company when there isn’t really damage. These types of scammers are show up at car washes, gas stations and even go door-to-door and pressuring you to file unnecessary claims. If you suspect damage, go to a trusted vendor who will inspect the glass before performing work.
- With many insurance companies, there is no deductible for the repair.
- An added benefit is that by offering repairs as an alternative to replacement, Safelite AutoGlass saves approximately 35,000 tons of CO2 during windshield production each year, enough to fill the Empire State Building approximately 19 times. In addition, it saves the number of damaged windshields being sent to the landfill by approximately 12,500 tons annually.
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.”
