Families are reevaluating if and how they travel amid the coronavirus pandemic. To be clear, staying at home is the best way to avoid spreading or contracting COVID-19 during the pandemic, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (In fact, the CDC recently recommended against traveling at all during the Thanksgiving holiday at a press briefing.)
Taking a family road trip may be appealing once the CDC says traveling is safer. Any form of travel poses risks for the foreseeable future (the coronavirus likely won’t go away soon), but road trips allow you to avoid crowded public spaces like airports. After all, you only need to be in close contact with anyone else in the car with you, and you have more control over when and where you stop. When it comes to avoiding COVID-19, “The safest travel option is not to travel. If you do travel, a road trip is the safest,” epidemiologist Celine Gounder, M.D., former NYC assistant commissioner of health and host of the Epidemic podcast, previously told SELF.
However, a family road trip comes with its own safety hazards, and you may be concerned about traveling for long periods of time with your kids. But there are ways to reduce some of the risks (and to ultimately lower your stress levels). Below, you’ll find tips to get you through any long drive.
1. Prepare your car.
This may be a given, but your car should be in good working condition before any family road trip. Not to mention, you will feel more overwhelmed if you need to stop and, say, repair a flat tire with tired or fussy children in the car. To avoid car troubles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that your car is up-to-date on its oil change, battery check, and tire rotation. Less obviously, you should check your car’s make and model for safety recalls and address any related issues before the trip. You can check this on the NHTSA website. All you need is your vehicle identification number (VIN), which is generally located on the lower left of your car’s windshield. (You can also find it on your vehicle registration or car insurance cards.) Research the weather conditions for areas that you will travel through so you can purchase snow chains, new tires, or a snow brush if necessary.
2. Be prepared for inclement weather.
Speaking of snow, there’s nothing like an unexpected storm to cause some major stress while you’re driving (understandably). No one can accurately predict the weather, but looking up typical weather patterns for the area you’re traveling to can give you an idea of what to expect. This way you will be mentally prepared and have a backup plan in the event you need to stop. The National Weather Service offers future climate predictions as well as weather reports from previous years for the entire country.
Avoid rushing to your destination, particularly if weather conditions may affect your ability to maintain control of your vehicle. Roughly 21% of car accidents each year happen in adverse weather conditions, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
Instead, stop at a parking lot or hotel if you aren’t comfortable driving. (Avoid pulling over to the shoulder, as other cars might not realize you’re stopped.) Or drive more slowly than the posted speed limit since slick roads can be dangerous. The United States Department of Transportation recommends reducing your speed by one third of the speed limit on wet roads and by at least one half of the legal limit on snow-packed roads.
3. Keep safety resources in your trunk.
It’s worth storing some emergency supplies in your trunk in case you experience car troubles. This may include a portable cell phone charger, flashlight, jumper cables, tire pressure gauge, extra windshield wiper fluid, blankets, and flares, according to the NHTSA. You may want to keep extra jackets (for the colder months), face masks, nonperishable food, and water too, in case you’re stopped for longer periods of time. And it’s always a good idea to have a first aid kit on hand just in case someone gets injured.
4. Get plenty of sleep before driving.
Fatigue is one of the most realistic dangers of driving for long periods of time. Drowsy driving caused 91,000 accidents in 2017, according to the NHTSA. In fact, the behavior is a lot like drunk driving: Driving after being awake for at least 18 hours is similar to driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05%, according to the CDC. For reference, a BAC of 0.08% is considered intoxicated in all states.
Aim to get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, which research shows helps people 18 to 65 feel their best. Stop if you’re tired, and, again, avoid pulling over onto the shoulder since other cars might not realize you’re stopped.
5. Don’t forget the basics of road safety.
It’s easy to become lax about following every safety rule as the years pass and you get even more comfortable with driving. It goes without saying that all passengers should be buckled into their seats (or car seats, but more on that in a bit) before you drive anywhere. Seat belts are one of the best ways to reduce injuries in car accidents, but millions of people forget to buckle up during every car trip, according to the CDC. “If there’s a crash, the seat belt keeps you in the vehicle and gives you the best opportunity to ride out the crash forces,” Kris Poland, Ph.D., deputy director of the National Transportation Safety Board Office of Highway Safety, previously told SELF. “If you’re either thrown around inside the vehicle or ejected from the vehicle, both of those are very risky scenarios.”
You likely know that you shouldn’t text or play with your phone while driving, but it’s important to refrain from less obviously distracting habits. Avoid scanning the radio or using your car’s navigation system while driving. These activities take your attention away from the road, and you can’t drive safely unless you’re fully paying attention to the task at hand. Research your route and create a playlist before you travel to eliminate these unnecessary distractions. Same goes for things like eating and drinking: It’s best to do these after pulling over somewhere safe.
6. Follow car seat safety protocol.
Keeping your little ones safe is undoubtedly your top priority. One of the best ways to do that is by making sure their car seat is safe and secure. For starters, that means using the right car seat for your child’s age, weight, and height.
Here’s the recommended trajectory when choosing safe car seating for your kid, per the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
- A rear-facing car seat should be your child’s very first car seat. These are installed in the backseat, and babies are positioned so that they face the rear of the car. You should use these until your child reaches the maximum height or weight limit specified by the car seat manufacturer. Generally, kids are safe in these until they’re four years old or weigh 40 pounds. But again, you’ll want to check with the specific manufacturer.
- A forward-facing car seat is also installed in the backseat, but kids are positioned facing the front of the car. Children use these after they outgrow a rear-facing car seat until they’re at least five years old. Again, each manufacturer lists specific height and weight requirements for its forward-facing car seats.
- A booster seat elevates your kid’s height so that seat belts fit properly. Your child uses this when they outgrow a forward-facing car seat but aren’t yet big enough to only use a seat belt. If your child is big and heavy enough that the straps of a seat belt lay across their upper thighs (not their stomach) and chest (not their neck), that’s a sign it’s safe for them to no longer use a booster seat. This typically happens when kids are four feet nine inches and at least nine years old. Even when your kid can safely use a seat belt, they should sit in the backseat until they’re at least 12 years old.
Car seats should fit appropriately, meaning you don’t want to use one that’s too big or too small for your child, says Wes Bender, certified passenger safety technician and instructor and project consultant for the car safety program at Safe Kids. He says it’s time to purchase a new seat when children approach the upper limit for their height or weight requirements.
Car seats can be costly, but the AAP says you should never purchase a used car seat. That particular model may have been recalled or have defects as the result of being in an accident, so it’s best to buy a new one without a questionable history. (You can check recalls on the NHTSA website. Tip: Complete the manufacturer’s registration card that accompanies your car seat to ensure the manufacturer will notify you of safety recalls.) That said, more expensive car seats aren’t necessarily safer, according to Bender. “All car seats that are sold in the United States are required to meet the same federal minimum safety standards,” Bender tells SELF.
Finally, you can take other people’s car seat recommendations into account, but consider your specific needs, Bender advises. For example, if you need to use two car seats at once for multiple kids, install both to make sure they fit beside each other before strapping your children in, he explains.
7. Make sure your car seat is installed properly.
Your car seat needs to be installed correctly to keep your child safe. But how do you know whether your car seat is actually installed the right way? Read through the user’s manual for both your car and the car seat before tackling installation. Car seats should only be placed in the backseat, and they need to be tightly secured. One way to check if it’s tight enough, according to the AAP: Grasp the bottom and move the seat side to side and front to back. If the car seat moves more than an inch either way, then it may not be secure.
Before the pandemic, Child Passenger Safety Technicians performed car seat inspections at Safe Kids events, and it was also possible to make an appointment with one of these technicians outside of these events. Some in-person fitting services have been canceled due to COVID-19, but you can check for one in your area at SafeKids.org or review installation tips on the Safe Kids or the NHTSA websites.
Another important note regarding car seats: Children should be placed in their car seats without bulky clothing. Coats and heavy clothes can interfere with how well the straps keep your kids secure.
8. Follow all COVID-19 public health recommendations.
Right now, public health experts are urging people to stay home, but you may choose to travel in the future when there are fewer COVID-19 cases. As the coronavirus quickly spreads in the U.S., medical experts warn that seeing people who live outside your home puts you and others at risk of contracting the virus. You will want to be extremely cautious when you do begin traveling again.
Naturally, when the time comes to travel again, you should follow the same public health measures recommended by organizations like the (CDC) throughout the pandemic: Mask wearing, maintaining a physical distance of at least six feet, and staying home if you feel sick. Be sure to pack enough hand sanitizer and extra masks (just in case you need them) for everyone on the trip. The CDC recommends antimicrobial wipes so you can clean any high-touch public surfaces, such as gas station pumps and buttons.
Speaking of public spaces, you may have to stop at some point during your trip to use a bathroom, get gas, or to grab food. Do your best to avoid other people by leaving extra space in line. Make sure to wash your hands after touching anything in public or use hand sanitizer when hand washing isn’t possible. Packing your own food is the safest way to eat when traveling, as SELF previously reported. Sandwiches, fruit, prepared salads, and vegetables are easy to prepare at home and store in a cooler in your car.
Your best options when dining out are drive-through or takeout. The more time you spend around other people, the higher the COVID-19 transmission risk. In the event that outdoor dining is your only option, survey the restaurant to make sure the restaurant staff wears masks, there is at least six feet of space in between tables, and other customers are wearing their masks when not eating or drinking. Some restaurants have added enclosed outdoor seating, such as tents, but this restricts airflow and is not as safe as outdoor dining, as SELF previously reported. Again, you may want to avoid dining out completely by bringing your own food if you can.
While you may not currently have a trip planned, you might travel with your family at some point during the pandemic. If that happens, driving safely and following public health recommendations to reduce your COVID-19 risk will ensure that your family has the best (and safest) possible experience.
This article is presented by Volvo.
Related:
- 9 Road Trip Survival Tips From Parents Who Have Been There
- 7 Ways to Stay Safe When You’re on a Family Road Trip in the Future
- 7 Driving Tips Long-Haul Truckers Say You Should Know