How to Travel Safely by Car During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Although government officials including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have advised to stay at home during the Covid19 Pandemic, many in Los Angeles and California will be traveling over the holidays, especially to visit family for Christmas and New Years. A study by Travelocity estimates of those planning to travel over the holidays, approximately 80 percent shall drive by car or truck. Usually the greatest fear or concern with highway travel in and around Los Angeles and California is injury accidents, but this year its clearly Covid19.

For those traveling our highways during this pandemic here are some expert suggestions to be safe and reduce your risk of becoming sick with Covid 19.

Check your car or truck very carefully, including to be sure its service maintenance is current, brakes in proper working order, tires have proper tread and proper inflation, windshields wipers in good shape and windshields clean, gas tank full and or battery fully charged, etc.
Plan your trip carefully including route, restaurants and needed hotels or motels. During Covid19 many restaurants, hotels and motels may be closed. It is suggested to contact these businesses to be sure they are open and make reservations if available.
When staying in a hotel or motel more than one night consider requesting NO cleaning service until you leave to limit the number of other people in your room and your risk of exposure to the coronavirus.
Find out if there are any Covid19 restrictions, such as limiting number of people in a group, proof of a recent negative Covid19 test, quarantine, etc.
If you need a list of state rules, contact AARP.
You may also contact the Federal Highway Administration which has updated information about state Covid 19 rules, including travel, traffic and weather alerts.
Have available in your car and pack as needed all needed supplies, including several facemasks and to keep hands and surfaces clean items such as hand sanitizers (small containers that fit in your pocket or purse or glove box of your car that can easily be refilled as needed are quite handy and useful), disinfectant wipes, disposable gloves, tissues, paper towels and plastic bags to place used wipes and gloves.
Wear masks whenever appropriate, even in your car if traveling with others.
Bring food, water bottles, snacks, etc to reduce trips to public places to purchase these items.
When using gas station pumps, best to use disposable gloves. They are easier to use than trying to sanitize the gas equipment. If gloves are not available, then sanitize carefully and wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 15 seconds.
Pay for gas and other items with credit cards rather than handling cash and coins. Then clean credit cards handled by others with disinfectant wipes.
Regarding restroom needs, note some fast food restaurants that typically provide public restrooms to customers now may not make them available due to Covid19. So take advantage of restrooms at service stations and highway rest areas.
When using public restrooms, be extra carefully – wear your facemask, try not to touch faucets, door handles, etc. after washing your hands. Rather, instead, after washing hands then always use a paper towel or tissue to touch faucets, door handles, etc.
Try to use restrooms that have touchless devices such as auto flush toilets and automatic faucets and paper towel dispensers.
Regarding eating, it is safer to use drive-through, take-out and pick-up rather than eating in at dine-in restaurants. In other words, inside dining creates a greater risk than these other recommended alternatives, although the amount of this risk is currently in dispute and actually being litigated by restaurants that are opposed to some current bans prohibiting not just all inside dining but also all outside dining as well. The results of such court cases may come any day now, and not soon enough for the many restaurants (and their staffs) that are suffering huge economic losses, such that some restaurants may permanently close and their staffs lose their jobs.

So wear masks, wash hands with warm water and soap, watch your distance [that is, try to stay at least six (6) feet away from others], use disinfectants and common sense, and be very careful.

Should you or anyone you know be involved in any injury accident, please contact us for a FREE consultation.

We wish you a very happy, healthy and safe holiday season and 2021!