Break Point!

Traveling by car is never easy. There is traffic congestion, trying to keep the family happy and occupied on the long trip and trying to navigate the way around unfamiliar territory. Safety concerns should also be taken into consideration. Don't let injuries ruin a vacation before it starts.

As you prepare for your trip, have your car tuned up and have the brakes checked. All maintenance should be done a several weeks before the trip, this allows time for incomplete repairs or persistent problems to be fixed properly.

Once your car has passed inspection and you are planning to leave, make sure you get enough sleep before you start your trip. Drowsy drivers are often just as dangerous as drunk drivers, according to the AAA Chicago Motor Club. Plan your driving during times when you are alert and can operate your vehicle safely. When driving at night make sure there is at least one other adult awake to make sure the driver has not fallen asleep at the wheel. Take time to get out of the car and rest you legs and eyes. Stop for the day when you begin to feel fatigued.

Ensuring your families safety is critical during a long car ride. Each person should have the proper safety restraint. Children less than 20 pounds and one year should be rear facing in either an infant only seat or a convertible car seat. Children 20-40 pounds and are over one year should ride in a forward facing safety seat. Children over 40-80 pounds should be in a belt positioning booster seat. Adults should set a good example and always wear their safety belts.

When you stop along the way be sure to keep an eye on your children. This time of year there is increased travel and gas stations and rest areas will be busy. Restless children may dart out of the car and not be mindful of the increased traffic.

One aloud Spending hours and hours in the car with your family may not be the quality time you were looking forward to. Short attention spans in young children lead to short tempers. Even adults get restless sitting in the same position for long periods of time. When children get bored and restless it becomes difficult to keep children in their safety restraints and will be a distraction to the driver. They beg to be let out for just a few minutes.

Here are some tips to keep children occupied and safe:

• Take frequent rest stops. Allow time for children to run around and burn off some of their extra energy.
• Provide children with toys, games, blankets and pillows to keep them comfortable in their seats.
• Play games in the car to keep children occupied and happy.
• Snacks and drinks should be easily in reach so no one has to get out of their seat to reach a cooler or snack bag. Healthy snacks such as raisins or granola bars taste good and have less sugar than candy.

Keeping children happy in the car is not an easy task but there are many games that can be fun for the whole family. Be creative you have lots of time.

• Give each child a notepad and crayons or markers and have the children draw pictures of what they see along the way. Children may want to write notes to their friend's back home or keep a diary of their trip.
• Picnic basket- The first person says "I am going on a picnic and I will bring… they think of a word to put into the picnic basket. The next person repeats what the previous player said and adds a new item to the sentence. The game continues until a player forgets the order of the foods in the picnic basket.
• Each person writes a list of five pet peeves. Throw them into a bag. Ask each member of the car to pull out one. Take turns reading each and guessing whose pet peeve it is.
• Drivers should not participate in the games.
• Avoid distracting the driver.

For some travelers, traveling by airplane is the only way to go. Traveling with children has it's own set of safety concerns. When booking a reservation for your flight it is important to let the airline know of any health concerns, physical limitations of persons in your party and if you will be bringing children with you.

Many airlines will let children less than 2 years of age ride free if a parent holds the child on their lap. The FAA strongly recommends children less than 40 pounds ride in a FAA approved child safety seat. The use of the car seat guards against injuries from turbulence that may occur during the flight. Children are smaller and lighter than adults and they are far more likely to be injured even by simple turbulence. You will be unable to hold a child in your lap should the plane begin to lose altitude. Check your airline's policy when you reserve your flight.

Adults should also be aware of safety issues when traveling by plane. Here is some safety tips to be aware of before you go:

• Listen to the pre-flight safety briefing
• Read the safety data card in the seat pocket in front of you.
• Keep your seat belt on at all times even if the seat belt sign has been turned off. The seat belt will protect you from unexpected abrupt aircraft movement.
• Locate the emergency exits in front of you and behind you.
• Keep control of your children. Children left wandering the cabin can get into the airplane's galleys and reach for hot coffee, silverware or be injured by another passenger.

You have finally arrived at your destination and are looking forward to lounging around in your hotel room. Traveling with children in hotels pose extra dangers that may be different from those around the home.

When your child was born you went from room to room looking for areas that could pose a threat to your child. If you had missed a spot your curious child found it for you. Hotels aren't "baby proofed". They are designed for the comfort of adults. It is important to take safety precautions to ensure that everyone on the trip has a good time.

When at a hotel room be mindful of the following:

• Unlocked doors leading out to a balcony
• Prescription medications should be in a safe place away from children. Preferably in a locked suitcase.
• Watch for freestanding lamps that children could pull down on themselves.
• Watch children around unprotected electrical outlets and cords.
• Constant supervision around the hotel swimming pool. Even if there is a lifeguard on duty.
• Keep your hotel room locked so children do not wander out of the room or strangers won't wander in.
• Hotel water temperatures can be very hot. Test the water temperature and watch the child in the bathtub so the water does not become too hot and scald the child.
• Secure long drapery cords so they do not pose a choking threat to the child.
• It may be wise to bring your own portable crib. This will assure it is up to standards and the child will feel more comfortable sleeping in familiar surroundings.

Summertime is a peak time for lightning occurrences. Storm fronts move in without warning. They usually pass quickly but can take you by surprise if you are not careful.

Lightning is an intense electrical spark which injures individuals by heat and by electrical current itself. As of 1997, there were 93 deaths and approximately 300 persons injured by lightning strikes.

Take precautions when traveling or spending time outdoors and a storm front moves in. Here are some safety tips to consider when lightning begins to fill the sky:

• If you are in or near water move away quickly , seek shelter and get indoors if possible. Even if it seems that the storm is still far away be aware that lightning can strike from as far as 30 miles away.
• Do not take shelter under a tree or any tall object. Lightning is drawn to taller objects and the force of lightening can spread around the object it has hit.
• Stay away from windows.
• If golfing, get straight to the clubhouse or the nearest covered shelter. Put your clubs down.

If driving in a severe thunderstorm be sure to:

• Keep your headlights on. It is the law in Illinois.
• If visibility is very poor or winds are high. Pull of the road completely. Even stopping on the shoulder can be dangerous because in poor visibility other drivers may not see your car on the side of the road and strike your vehicle.
• Look for parking lots or driveways away from the path of traffic as a safe haven.
• Watch out for flooding. Some streets flood quickly.
• Leave extra room between you and the vehicle in front of you. You will need extra time to stop on wet streets.

• Heat Stroke Safety
• Amusement Ride Safety