Safety Tips for Summer Road Trips

The summer months are the perfect opportunity to plan a family getaway. Although the COVID-19 pandemic may influence your destination and the activities you plan for your family, always evaluate the best practices for driving during the summertime. Understanding the risks associated with summer driving can help families prepare for vehicle malfunctions and vehicle accidents. The personal injury lawyers at Arash Law, led by Arash Khorsandi, Esq, can help you deal with the consequences of a car accident. Call us at (888) 488-1391 to schedule a free consultation. We have decades of experience representing clients in personal injury cases. We have recovered over $500 million for clients throughout California.

Summer Road-Trip Checklist Safety Tips

One of the distinguishing features of American life is the family summer getaway. Preparing your vehicle for a long road trip can help you avoid problems that may arise during your family vacation. Listed below are some general tips for planning a safe summer road-trip vacation.

Being involved in a car accident is one of the most serious incidents that can occur while you are traveling. Also, if your automobile malfunctions while you are on the road, you may be subject to extreme heat and other problems that can affect your loved ones. By reviewing the things you should do to protect yourself and your family before going on vacation, you can prevent some extremely dangerous circumstances from arising.

Most safety professionals create safety reviews in three phases. First, read the safety review from beginning to end, and write down any elements you do not currently own. Obtain those elements, and these tools and resources will help you acquire everything listed on your safety review. Second, reconsider everything on the safety checklist and memorize these elements before you embark on your summer trip. Third, leave for your destination while using the safety review for guidance.

The personal injury lawyers at Arash Law, founded by famous attorney Arash Khorsandi, Esq., can help you if you have been in a car accident while traveling this summer. We serve clients in San Francisco, Riverside, Sacramento, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sherman Oaks, and throughout California. We have recovered over $500 million for clients throughout California. We have decades of experience helping clients who suffered injuries in car accidents.

Preparation Stage

Before you begin your summer vacation, you need to prepare for the events that may arise while you are traveling.Before you begin your summer vacation, you need to prepare for the events that may arise while you are traveling. Planning for a safe trip can help you make sure you have everything you need in case of an emergency. Making sure your vehicle is ready for a long road trip can help you avoid car trouble during your summer vacation.

Checking Oil Levels

Checking the oil levels in your automobile can help you avoid disasters on your summer road trip. You need to make sure your engine is lubricated. Having an adequate amount of oil in your automobile will ensure that your car will not run low during your long summer vacation.

You may have driven 3,000 to 5,000 miles in the months before your family vacation. If you have covered such distance, take your automobile to a business that specializes in oil changes. A professional oil change can help you avoid vehicle malfunctions while you are traveling this summer.

Obtain a Complete Mechanical Review of Your Vehicle

Take your automobile to a mechanic and have your fluid levels, tires, fan belts, and brakes assessed. Also, ask your mechanic to check the level of freon in your automobile’s air conditioning system. Any unknown problems can be addressed by a professional before you hit the road with your family this summer.

Protective Eyewear and Sunblock

Applying sunscreen can protect you from the dangers of prolonged sun exposure. However, it is important to understand that the sun can still damage your skin while you are traveling in your automobile.

Protective eyewear like sunglasses can help you drive in a safer manner by reducing glare that occurs while traveling. You and every member of your family need to apply sunscreen as soon as you leave your home’s driveway.

Being Prepared with an Emergency Pack

Although you may have taken your automobile to a mechanic before embarking on your vacation, it is still possible for your automobile to have problems on the road. You want to bring along an emergency pack so you can avoid being unprepared if you experience car trouble. The following are the items you should include in your emergency pack:

  • extra batteries and mobile phone chargers
  • a manual car jack and tire changing kit
  • road flares
  • battery cables
  • first aid package
  • dry fruit and snacks
  • water

Our personal injury lawyers understand how stressful it can be to deal with a car accident while on summer vacation. Let us help you and your family while you recover from your injuries. Contact Arash Law, spearheaded by Arash Khorsandi, Esq., at (888) 488-1391 to schedule a free consultation. We have decades of experience representing clients in personal injury cases. Also, we have recovered over $500 million for clients in California.

Sleep Well Before You Travel

You may feel like you cannot sleep the night before you leave on your family vacation, but you should get an adequate amount of sleep before you begin driving toward your destination. Fatigued driving is a dangerous activity, and tired drivers cause thousands of car accidents in the United States every year. If you become tired while driving, you need to find a rest stop and determine if another adult can drive while you rest.

Regulate the Temperature Inside Your Vehicle

Tinted windows will reduce the interior temperature of your automobile and keep your car cooler while it is parked in direct sunlight. You will have a safe trip if you are protected from extreme heat. It is important that you spread protective covers over child safety seats. Extreme heat can cause the metal sections of child safety seats to burn human skin.

Know Your Automobile’s Bearing Limits

You can find your vehicle’s bearing capacity in the owner’s book that came with your vehicle. Know the exact weight limit before you load the vehicle down with luggage and duffel bags. If you are towing a boat or camper, you need to make sure you know your vehicle’s towing limits.

Restrain Large Items Inside Your Automobile

To avoid a collision during your vacation, you may need to apply your brakes suddenly. Any unsecured items inside your vehicle can cause serious bodily injury to you and your family members. Duffel bags and other heavy objects can be secured with rope or cords.

Protect Children From Heatstroke

Children can suffer injuries while inside and outside of automobiles. A child can suffer heatstroke if they remain in a parked automobile. Do not permit children to stay inside an automobile unattended. It only takes a few minutes of extreme heat exposure to injure a child.

The temperature outside may be pleasantly warm. However, the temperature inside a vehicle may be much higher. Body temperatures of children rise faster than those of adults.

Understand Your Automobile

You need to familiarize yourself with your automobile’s safety mechanisms. You may have an automobile that contains cruise control and sophisticated braking systems. These safety features may perform differently during the summer and winter months. If you are going to rent a vehicle for your summer trip, you need to understand how to operate the vehicle’s safety features before you embark on your summer vacation.

Map Out Your Course

You need to understand the exact route to take before you begin driving toward your destination. Weather patterns, traffic conditions, and road construction can all contribute to your journey taking a longer or shorter period of time. You should not attempt to arrive at your destination in the quickest time possible. It is important that you travel safely to protect yourself and your family members.

Do not rely solely on a GPS device. You want to have maps and directions before you begin driving. You should also inform others of your travel plans and when you plan to arrive at your destination.

Automobile Protection Checklist

Automobile Protection ChecklistThe following are some components you should check to make sure your vehicle is in good working order before you leave on your vacation.

Battery

A reputable mechanic should examine your vehicle’s battery, fan belts, and charging apparatus. You may need to approve any work they want to do to improve these vehicle components. If you drive an automobile with a hybrid engine, you should still keep gasoline in your vehicle’s gas tank.

Lights

Examine every light on your vehicle, including cabin lights, emergency lights, turn signals, brake lights, and headlamps.

Air Conditioning Components

Check your air conditioning system to make sure that you have enough freon inside your air conditioner. Examine the directions provided by the manufacturer. The automobile owner’s book will contain information regarding freon and your vehicle’s air conditioning system. Scrutinize the air conditioner components to see if any physical damage has occurred. A professional can help you drain and replace the coolant needed in your air conditioner.

Fluid Amounts

Never allow your vehicle’s oil level to drop. You should replace your automobile’s oil if it is time for an oil change. Many other kinds of fluids are important for your vehicle to run well, including washer fluid, steering fluid, transmission fluid, and brake fluid. These vehicle components should be filled before you embark on your vacation. If you notice your vehicle is leaking while you are on vacation, take it in to get serviced immediately.

Vehicle Hoses and Belts

The hoses and belts are important vehicle components that you should check before leaving on summer vacation. Rubber tears, cracking spots, and bulging blisters are some of the signs of damage you may notice on a hose or belt in your vehicle’s engine. Extreme heat during the summer months can damage these vulnerable components. If you know that hoses and belts need to be replaced, have a mechanic replace them before you travel on your summer vacation. Every hose and belt inside your vehicle should be tight, not loose.

Windshield Wipers

Replacing windshield wipers is important because they can become damaged during extreme weather events. Heavy rain and thunderstorms may strip or tear the windshield wipers on your automobile. Extreme heat can also damage the windshield wipers on your vehicle. Damaged wiper blades need to be replaced before you leave on your vacation. If you are driving in heavy rainfall, you want to make sure you have reliable windshield wipers.

Air Conditioning System

Examine your automobile’s air conditioning system before you leave your home. A damaged air conditioning system unit can cause serious bodily injury to elderly adults and children who cannot withstand extreme heat.

Vehicle Floor Carpet

The floor carpet and floor coverings in your automobile need to be inspected to make sure they are not damaged. If these carpets and coverings are not installed correctly, the vehicle’s brakes and accelerator may not function. Install any carpets or floor mats correctly. Secure the mats, and do not allow the mats to scrunch up around the gas and brake pedals. Also, do not install carpets or mats that are too small or too large for your vehicle.

Automobile Tire Precautions

Tire pressure is important for vehicle safety. When you fill your tires with air, make sure you only fill the tires to the amount of pressure suggested in the automobile owner’s manual. The frame beside the driver’s door may also contain this information. The number on the tire’s surface is not related to tire pressure. Park your car and let the tires cool down for three hours before checking the tire pressure.

Traveling

A summer road trip is exciting, fun, and liberating. However, you want to make sure that you practice these safety precautions to lower the risk of serious bodily injury or death. The items on this list should become regular habits so that you can keep yourself and your passengers safe.

Contact Arash Law to Schedule a Free Consultation

Do Not Drive During the Late Evening

You should not drive late into the night while you are traveling to your destination. It is generally acknowledged that drivers on vacation should cease driving during the late afternoon.

Update Checks

Use your mobile phone and news stations to determine if any impediments may delay your arrival. Road construction and traffic collisions are two of the most common events that can delay your arrival. You should have alternative routes decided on before you leave your home to begin your summer vacation.

Cruise Control

The cruise control tool enables you to drive at a set speed without speeding up or slowing down. You can reduce the number of accidents you are involved in by using cruise control.

Find a Rest Area

Do not behave like the distracted drivers on the road. If you need to check your cell phone, help your children, or perform any other involved task, find a rest area and take a break from driving. Do not drive and perform these other activities because doing so can cause serious bodily injury and death.

Add Gasoline When Your Automobile Becomes Half Full

You do not have to worry about running out of gas if you always fill up your vehicle when the gas tank is ½ full.

Arrival

You may think you can relax any safety precautions once you arrive at your destination, but doing so is a mistake. You should analyze your safety review checklist once you arrive at your vacation spot.

Obtain Gasoline

You should obtain gasoline and fill up your automobile as soon as you find a gas station. When you wake up the next morning, you will be glad you filled up your vehicle the night before. It is also important to keep snacks and drinks available in the car to help you stay full during your travels.

Analyze the Parking Area

You should always look out when you arrive at your destination. Examine the neighborhood for any dangerous conditions. If you are unhappy with your surroundings, you can choose a different campground or hotel.

Check-In Promptly

Do not stand around for too long trying to check in to your hotel.

Examine the Room Doors

The doors to your room should be tough. Also, the locks should work on every door. If you still have concerns regarding the strength and safety of your room doors, you can try to find different accommodations.

Understand Where the Emergency Route Is Located

Understand where the fire escape route is located in your facility. You should trace this route with your feet and make sure nothing is preventing people from using the emergency route.

Find the Nearest Hospital

Perform an internet search and discover the quickest way to the closest hospital or emergency room to you. Knowing where you can find immediate medical treatment is important for you and your family members. You need to know where you can find reliable medical professionals if an emergency occurs.

Review the Next Day’s Itinerary

Review your plans for the following day and evening. You can make games for you and your family members to play during your summer vacation. You can focus on being more open and exploratory when you are traveling in an automobile. Find new places where you and your family members can explore. If you are open to new experiences, you can create more opportunities for you and your family members to have fun.

Do not always do what is expected. Many exciting vacation rental destinations are out there waiting for you and your family members to experience them. Some of these new destinations will become favorite summer vacation spots.

Contact Arash Law Today to Schedule a Free Consultation

Suffering from a car accident can be devastating. Dealing with a malfunctioning automobile during a vacation can ruin your plans. Contact Arash Law, managed and operated by Arash Khorsandi, Esq., at (888) 488-1391 to schedule a free consultation. We have decades of experience representing clients in California. We have recovered over $500 million for our clients.

We serve clients in San Francisco, Riverside, Sacramento, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sherman Oaks, and throughout California. Contact Arash Law, created by Arash Khorsandi, Esq., to learn more about the legal services we offer.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Arash Khorsandi, ESQ
Founder, Arash Law

Arash Khorsandi, Esq. is the owner and founder of Arash Law, a large injuries and accidents law firm with offices throughout California. Over the years, Arash has built an all-star team of record-breaking lawyers, former insurance company adjusters, and the best paralegal staff in the country in order to ensure that his client’s cases result in the best possible outcome. In fact, our California personal injury law firm has won countless awards and distinctions in the field of plaintiffs Personal Injury law.

Recover Lost Wages, Property Damages, and Medical Fees.
Arash Law Practice Area Border/Divider

We’ll tell you if you have a case or not, call (888) 488-1391 — We’re here 24 hours a day.

DISCLAIMER: Information provided on this blog is not formal legal advice. It is generic legal information. Under no circumstances should the information on this page be relied upon when deciding the proper course of a legal action. Always obtain a free and confidential case evaluation from a reputable attorney near you if you think you might have a personal injury lawsuit.

Check More From Our Award-Winning Law Firm
Neck pain is a common problem for many people after a car accident, but why does it happen? During a crash, the seatbelt holds your body in place, but your head is not strapped in. This can cause your head...
Parents strive to provide their children with a safe and secure environment. Sadly, no matter how vigilant they are, kids will eventually have to venture out of their homes and deal with the harsh realities of the outside world—including the...
In the year 2024 alone, 61,685 wildfires were recorded by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). These fires collectively burned around 8,851,142 acres of American land. As reported by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), there...
Driving during wildfires can be extremely dangerous. Thick smoke can drastically reduce visibility, rendering even the most familiar routes treacherous. Fallen branches, downed power lines, and other debris can block your path while encroaching flames can sever escape routes. In...

Thank You, We’ll contact you shortly.