We are gearing up to head out soon on another multi-week road trip, so we are getting all our essential safety items in order. Heading out for such a long road trip is totally do-able, but you need to be prepared. Some basic road trip safety essentials can give you peace of mind and really save the day in a crappy situation.
Moms – I’ve traveled across the country with my two girls as the only adult. With some basic safety precautions, there’s no reason you can’t travel as a single or solo mama!
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Road Trip Safety Essentials: Before Leaving
- Get your oil and fluid levels checked
- Have your tires and brakes checked out
- Most mechanics can run a used car checklist – this will ensure that there’s nothing imminent lingering under the hood that will surprise you 400 miles from home.
Road Trip Safety Essentials for the Car
- Keep your car manual in the glove compartment. This could come in handy if you find yourself with low tire pressure and no idea what it’s supposed to be!
- Insurance information and car registration
- A Road Atlas – There are many parts of the country that lack decent data coverage. It’s always helpful to have a map handy just in case. I keep this one in my car at all times!
- Battery Jump Starter – You’ll never be stranded with a dead battery with this in the trunk.
- Jumper Cables
- Flashlight
- Basic Tool Kit & Sockets
- A gallon of Water – For drinking or cleaning. With kids, you really never know.
- Bear Spray or Mace – Obviously this is a personal preference, but I do feel more comfortable traveling alone with this handy. We have bear spray because we travel to National Parks that recommend hiking with it, but now that it’s available I definitely appreciate it.
- First Aid Kit
- Pen and Paper – in case you need to write someone a note when you gently tap their vehicle.
- Spare tire and tire pressure gauge
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Road Trip Safety Essentials for Kids
When I’m traveling solo with the kids, I take extra precautions to ensure they are safe.
- Double check that all car seats are installed correctly. It’s easy in the shuffle of packing to overlook a tether strap not connected or ill-fitting seat straps.
- Create a playlist of songs your kids like. With their favorites ready to go, it reduces your risk of distracted driving while trying to play Let it Go for the 1,000th time.
- Identification Bracelet for your kids. As the only adult on many of our journeys, I feel better knowing that if something happened to me, or my kids got lost, there would be an easy way for them to communicate who they are and who to contact. Both of my children wear these Road Id bracelets 24/7 when we travel.
Road Trip Safety Essentials for your Wallet
- Your AAA card
- Cash – enough for tolls at the very least. I would recommend $50-$100, broken into smaller bills. It might come in handy when you’d like to tip the mechanic who just filled your tires with air at no charge!
Road Trip Safety Essentials for your Phone
- A backup cell charger can come in handy if you are low on power when out and about. Don’t forget to keep a charging cable handy as well.
- Update the emergency contacts in your phone
- Plug the numbers of your hotel(s) into your phone before you leave, just in case you can’t pull up the web while you are traveling.
Other Ways to Stay Safe While Traveling
- Always let someone know your travel plans & check in at regular intervals with a friend or family member.
- If you are traveling solo with your children, consider shortening the hours you drive each day so that you can arrive and settle into your hotel before it gets dark. I always feel more comfortable when there are other travelers unpacking their cars and abundant hotel staff is visible.
- Do your research on the places you are staying, including just for one night. Google street view the area to give you a rough idea about the visibility of the parking lot, number of street lights, and general maintenance and upkeep of the hotel. These things are not guarantees in any way but are a good starting point.
Trust your gut! If a situation feels wrong, leave immediately and don’t worry about being polite. You don’t have to make small talk with someone who gives you the creeps, and Ms. Manners isn’t policing rest stops.
Check out my Tips and Tricks for Road Trips with Kids!
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These are some great tips. I always carry a first aid kit and a big pack of water bottles in my car.
i just drove from NY to Fl (and back) and i got the car serviced before, but didnt really bring a first aid kit. I would def do that next time – bandaids, tylenol. These are great tips!
Yes!! This is so very helpful! Love that you included kids safety checks too!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is a fabulous check list! When we travel from Texas to California with our little one, we usually split it half way between driving and flying to sanity and budget reasons. This is a fantastic road trip check list!
#dreamteam
Great tips! I still have yet to travel on my own with 4 little ones, but I may get up the courage some day. This will definitely come in handy.
Thanks for joining #WanderingWednesday with Confessions of Parenting!
This is a great resource, especially since we are about to have a new driver on the road! We will need to outfit her car, even though she will laugh at the road atlas. My husband would add one of those tools that can break glass and cut seatbelts. I’m sure they have a name! Thanks for this list! #WanderingWednesday
What great tips! I really haven’t thought of all these things. Car safety is especially important with you have little children. I’m going to save this as a resource and make sure my husband sees it, too!
#WanderingWednesday
thanks for sharing! I am hopefully going on a road trip in May these will come in handy!
In less than 2 weeks we’ll be heading out on our first family vacay! The first leg of the journey (and the way home) includes a 4 hour van ride plus national border crossing. The longest are kids have been in a carseat for is just 2 hours, so I’m pretty nervous about it. I’m sure it will be just fine and I’m worrying for nothing.
#wanderingwednesday
Katelynn, hampersandhiccups.com
I think you’ve thought of everything! What a great list!
#WanderingWednesday
This is really well thought out! Shows you do have the experience and great tips to pass on!
These are great ideas. I will definitely be put together a first aid kit
Love all of this, often times I wonder what I need to pack for road trips, thanks for sharing this. https://mylogicalliving.com
I want to add a couple! Don’t post on social media about your trip until you get back, carry chains in your vehicle if you’re driving over mountain passes, and don’t forget your spare keys if you get locked out or lose your primaries!
These are all fantastic tips. I like the one about having your kids wear ID bracelets just in case. I’ve never thought about that one.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
This is a great list to refer back to. I used to get so overwhelmed trying to remember everything!
We love a good road trip, and these are FABULOUS tips to keep the family safe. Way to go, friend!
I keep a kit with a few of these things, you never know what can happen.
This is such a good check list! We very rarely travel a huge distance in the car (enough for a road trip) so these are points we never really think of too much.. but we should. The ID bracelets are a brilliant idea. I’ve also heard that labeling car seats with little ones details as a just in case is a good precaution. Thanks so much for joining us for the #DreamTeam
Oh yikes my car is seriously under-equipped! 😛
I’m going on a road trip this weekend so this is perfect timing! Thanks!
Have fun!