Are you thinking about taking a family road trip this year? A lot of planning goes into a family road trip, from lodging and activities to tickets and souvenir shopping, but one thing that often gets overlooked is safety. From protecting your home while you’re away to safeguarding your family on the road, safety needs to be a consideration in the planning process for your next trip. Here are a few tips from The Home Security Superstore to help keep everyone and everything safe while you enjoy a family road trip.
Keeping Your Home Safe While on a Family Road Trip
If you’re looking at taking a family road trip, now might be the time to invest in a home security system. You may want to consider adding surveillance cameras or an alarm system to your home for increased security. Cameras are available for night-vision and can also be wireless or motion-detected, so they turn on if someone or something is in your yard. Security lighting can also provide another level of protection for your home during your trip. Some security lights also come with cameras or are motion-detected.
Other things you can do to protect your home while you’re away include setting timers on lights, having a friend stop by to water your plants and check on the house, and holding your mail to eliminate noticeable build-up. You also shouldn’t post your plans on any social media because it’s like broadcasting that your home is left unprotected to everyone while you’re gone. Instead, don’t post about your trip until you return home. Then you can do a recap and photo dump for everyone to enjoy without putting your home in a compromising position.
Keeping Your Vehicle Safe While on A Family Road Trip
When planning to put a few miles on your vehicle, you’ll want to make sure that it’s in tip-top condition before you hit the road. You should have the oil changed, check the tire pressure and tread, and top off other fluids such as windshield wiper fluid.
Be sure to check your tires and oil every so often as you fill up with fuel along the way as well. Just because your vehicle was ready when you started your trip doesn’t mean it will stay the same for the duration. You’ll also want to have a spare tire, basic first aid kit, and emergency road kit packed in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
Your road kit will vary depending on how far you plan to travel and the time of year you plan to be gone, but it should generally include jumper cables, a flashlight, phone charging cord, snacks, water, blanket, took kit, and reflective triangles or road flares. Other items to consider adding to your kit include a quart of motor oil, a gallon of engine coolant, or wiper fluid. You may also want to add AAA or another roadside assistance service prior to heading out.
Keeping Your Family Safe While on a Family Road Trip
Nobody wants to think that bad things will happen to them, but it can end better if you’re prepared for those bad things. Consider adding a travel safe such as a can safe to keep your valuables safe at the hotel while you’re spending time at the beach. You could also invest in a spy camera to catch would-be thieves at the hotel. They come in many disguisable forms, such as phone charging docks or wall charging blocks. Many of these spy cameras are also motion-detected, so they only record when there’s something worth watching.
Additional items you may want to add to your family road trip checklist include personal safety gadgets, such as pepper spray, keychain weapons, and stun guns or tasers. Be sure to check the rules and regulations that apply to these self-defense products for every step of your trip. Some hotels, tourist attractions, or historical landmarks may have restrictions that you’ll want to follow, especially if your road trip includes crossing state lines.
Family road trips are a great way to see the world while saving money and spending more time together. As you start to plan the route, the destinations, and the timeframe for your family road trip, don’t forget to prepare for the safety of your home, vehicle, and family. If you’re interested in adding any personal safety gadgets to your packing list, check out the vast selection at The Home Security Superstore. We have everything from pepper spray and tasers to spy cameras and home security systems in every price range.