ROAD TRIP TIPS DURING SUMMER
Date Posted:12 February 2020
With summer in full swing, people are ready and excited to begin their summer road trips across the country. Road trips are a great, easy way for you and your loved ones, including furry friends, to get away and relax. Whether you’re traveling near or far, we want to make sure that you take the correct steps to fully enjoy your vacation.
The inside of your car is affected by the sun’s ultraviolet radiation combined with the temperature outside. The inside of your car acts like a greenhouse because the heat is being absorbed by your car. The glass windows intensify the heat effects as well, due to their role as an insulator, trapping the heat inside. The dashboard receives the most direct sunlight, which can lead to much hotter temperatures as well as cracking and discoloration. If the sunlight beaming into your car can cause such damage to your dash and car interior, imagine the damage it can cause to personal items, pets and people.
We hope you take these safety tips and information seriously before hopping in the car with everyone this summer.
Create a habit of checking the back seat by placing important items there. Put your cellphone, ID, credit card or purse in the backseat to help with this habit.
Lock your car so children cannot enter the vehicle when unused.
Make it known to children that the car is not a safe place to play. Teach kids that the car is not a place to play, as some may use it for hide and seek and not realize they’ve locked themselves inside the hot car.
Keep your dog’s leash up front in the cup holder once everyone is in. The leash will serve as a reminder about your furry friend when you turn off the ignition.
Decrease distractions. When driving, you’re already distracted by directions or chatter, which could lead to forgetfulness. Decrease these distractions by putting your phone away and turning down music.
Check your state laws to see how you can help. While the exact wording on laws varies from state to state, they are all in agreement that you cannot leave kids unattended in cars for any unreasonable amount of time, or if the child is in distress or their health is in danger. Punishment is severe because believe it or not, hot car deaths keep on happening.
