How to prepare for a family road trip

Written by special contributor, Hayley Jennings

Many people don’t exactly relish the idea of doing a family road trip since kids and cars are pretty notorious for not really mixing together. However, whether you’re looking for a cheaper way to travel or a road trip is your only option, it doesn’t always have to be a crazy and stressful time. Below, we share with you some of our top tips for how to prepare for a family road trip so that it can be an enjoyable experience for all involved.

Get a safety check

When traveling by car, especially with children, safety should always come first. Therefore, it’s really important that before going out on the road you get a full safety check on your car to make sure everything is as it should be. If you’re in any way concerned about the safety of your car, then you should never leave it up to chance. There is another reason a safety check is important. Should you get into an accident and need to get support with your personal injury claim with Robinette Law, you’ll have a much better chance of a successful outcome if you can prove that your car had a safety check and given the all-clear before leaving for the road trip.

Have all your documents in place

You’d probably be surprised by how many people have set off on cross-country road trips only to realize halfway there that they forgot important documents. These documents include proof of insurance and even driver’s licenses! To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, it’s important to prepare your documents in advance and perhaps even keep them in a dedicated folder in your glove compartment just in case.

Give the car a good clean

There’s no doubt that taking a long road trip will result in some mess in the car, especially if you’re going with children. However, it doesn’t mean that you have to leave with the car already a mess. Eliminating clutter, messes, and bad smells before you leave is going to make the journey more relaxing. Moreover, make sure you bring plenty of trash bags to contain and dispose of rubbish along the way. 

Bring plenty of snacks and drinks

Long car journeys are going to require stops along the way for food and drinks, but often it’s not possible to stop when people are hungry or thirsty. Even if you can stop, these places are often expensive and don’t stock the healthiest of foods. That’s why it’s better to bring your own snacks and drinks that can keep everyone going until you’re able to stop. This is especially helpful for children.

Bring entertainment

As we mentioned above, kids and cars typically don’t mix. Car journeys are long and can be boring for kids who have a lot of energy and prefer to be entertained quite often. A good way to prepare for this is to bring plenty of things like toys, coloring books, and anything else that will keep them entertained during your journey. You can also look at bringing along things like a portable DVD player or iPad with some of their favorite movies or shows. This will really help the time pass for them and make it far less stressful for the adults.

Prepare for lots of stops

From bathroom breaks to meals and everything else in between, you’re going to find yourself having to stop a lot on a road trip. This isn’t really a bad thing, although it may add to the length of your journey. Taking breaks to let your kids run around for a bit and eat something is a good way to help them burn some of their energy and hopefully allow them to sleep for a bit when they get back into the car. Another good reason for stopping is that it gives you a chance to stretch your legs and wake up a bit since driving for long periods can cause fatigue. 

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