Originally posted on October 2, 2018 @ 6:10 am
If you’re planning on going on a long journey, especially in a car, you should put together a pre-travel checklist so that you make sure you don’t forget any details that might help de-stress your trip. The more thorough your list, the better your chances of not ignoring anything, and the better chances your trip will come to a successful conclusion.
Four of the items on your pre-travel checklist should be immediately apparent. You need to know what to do in the event of an accident. You have to create preparations to avoid stress with your kids if they are in the car. Your GPS information needs to be correct. And you should have a car safety kit in your vehicle.
What To Do In the Event of an Accident
You may be very confident in your driving skills. That doesn’t mean that everyone else on the road shares that competency. If you do get in a car wreck, you need to know what to do. You should have a good idea of the steps that you need to take, but it’s not a bad idea to have a reminder on a list in your dashboard. This way, even if you’re angry or emotional, you can look through the list to see that you’re doing all of the necessary legal and practical steps.
Preparations To Avoid Stress With Kids
If you’re traveling with children, that can be an immediate stressor in your journey. Prepare in advance for when they get antsy. If you install an entertainment system in your vehicle, that can do wonders for keeping kids docile. Having snacks the kids can eat will help them from getting to the point of complaining about how hungry they are. And, having some sort of game ready to give them is also a good idea.
GPS Information on Target
Have all of your necessary GPS information ready in advance. You don’t want to get 90% to your destination and then realize you don’t know the final directions. You can use your phone’s GPS very effectively for turn by turn directions, but you should make sure that you have all of the addresses and instructions before you even start the journey so that you are scrambling to get that information later during a stressful part of your drive.
Car Safety Kits
Before you take off on a journey, you should make sure that you create or purchase a car safety kit. Essential first-aid items will be in here, and then potentially things like road flares, tire patches, or other traffic safety items. It’s a straightforward kit to put together, and it can alleviate a lot of stress if you ever have any trouble on the road.