Ready For A Summer Road Trip?

It’s that time of year again! If you haven’t already taken a vacation, especially a family vacation, you may be planning one. Build safety into your plans.

If you’re like our family, soaring prices on gas and almost everything else have you deciding to stay closer to home. Economists call it inflation. You call it a growing hole in your budget. As a result, local fairs and amusement parks can be quite a treat. There are many lists of the best amusement parks, so there may be one within driving distance of your home.

Our recent family road trip was to Hersheypark in Pennsylvania. We took advantage of new practices and old-fashioned security-mindedness to have a good time. I encourage you to do the same thing.

First, the new stuff. Try an app that helps you with directions. Some even help you find the best gas prices and accommodations on your route. I normally would have taken Interstate 95 to Hersheypark, but the app I downloaded gave me a different route. The app saved me two hours on the road and I avoided tolls! That’s right, time and money that I spent with my family.

Another great way to cut costs is to use two-way radios instead of cell phones. If power and minutes matter with your phones and service provider, today’s two-way radios may be a good option. Also consider GPS devices to keep on smaller children, as they have a tendency to wander off from time to time.

This brings me to my second point, the old-fashioned stuff. Security-mindedness must not be left at home just because you may not be that far away, or only for a short time. GPS trackers are a great way to combine technology and safety when you’re enjoying a public space like an amusement park or fair.

I mention old-fashioned safety practices like having a current picture of children and elders in my book Rent-A-Cop Reboot. I also stress the importance of making sure that you’re dressed for the weather, and your vehicle is road ready.

There are also security basics you should already have in place that mean even more when you leave home. Everyone, especially the children, must know the basics by heart: your name, home address, and cell phone number. You may be loose with your phone when you’re at home, but you will not be at home. Your cell phone must be kept on you, and it must always be charged. It may become a lifeline. Make sure it’s ready.

Depending upon where you’re going, you may also need to be aware of any COVID (in many areas cases are going up) or other health protocols that may be in place. This is true for your destination, as well as any place you may stay overnight.

I want you to have great road trips with your family and friends this summer. To make sure that happens, remember to put some thought into safety practices before you head to the amusement park, fair, or wherever your travels take you. Have fun!

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