<p>I hope that everyone whose children are driving home remembers to communicate in advance that their safe arrival, even if late, means more than their timely arrival home. They are excited to get home as much as we are to see them, but road conditions and their inexperience can influence their judgment to press on, and not always safely. </p>
<p>For some, especially freshmen, the feeling that they may not miss or delay the family meal causes some to speed, take icy roads, or fail to check into a motel overnight in a blizzard (and show up the next day for leftovers). </p>
<p>Between traffic, weather and overtired students fresh from all-nighters, they sometimes cannot make it home at the hour planned. I always stated explicitly, in advance, that I would not dispute their on-road decisions, even if that means late or next-day arrival. </p>
<p>Also, remind them to fully charge their cell phone BEFORE they jump into the car to make the drive home. Suggest that they bring along a water bottle and some snacks (in case the car breaks down and they’re stuck on the side of the road). Make sure they have a credit card on hand if they need to check into a hotel due to bad weather. Make sure they have quarters in the center storage console for the Air machines at gas stations–don’t forget to have a tire pressure gauge in there too.</p>
<p>Small driving kit—in a ziploc bag:</p>
<p>–quarters for air (tires)
–tire pressure gauge
–motrin/tylenol in case of a headache
–some snacks–gum/crackers/granola bar/whatever
–water bottle
–flashlight
–rag (wipe down the windows, wipe off the oil stick, clean up that spilled cup of coffee, etc)</p>
<p>If they’re driving in a cold weather part of the country, stick a blanket in the trunk. They’ll need it to keep them warm if their car breaks down and they have to wait for help.</p>
<p>Rest in peace, Rich E. A year ahead of me in HS, lived down the block, football star, senior class president, died in a single car accident on slick roads coming home for Thanksgiving his freshman year. He was his parents’ only child.</p>
<p>Rest in peace, JK. First-year student at our local LAC, killed in a traffic accident on her way home last Friday. The other driver was at fault. I cannot imagine her family’s pain.</p>
<p>Wonder if I am thinking of the same young woman, PRJ … three other students from the school were injured in the accident. The young woman who died is from my area. So very sad. I also can’t even imagine the family’s pain.</p>
<p>I do hope everyone makes it home safely. I remember we had a snow storm when I was a senior in high school. We were in 3rd period Physics class when they announced school was closing early and we could leave at the end of the period. Our teacher spent the rest of the class asking those of us who drove to school if we knew how to drive in snow. He gave us all kinds of tips and pointers. We wound up having a late start the next day, beginning school in 3rd period Physics class. We got there before our teacher. Someone said they saw him broken down on the side of the road. Apparently he slid on ice and busted two tires. By the time he made it to class, he was just shaking his head saying “I know, I know… I should have taken my own advice!”</p>
<p>My list of car necessities is as follows: small jack, black tire patching stuff, the tool for black tire patching stuff, a hammer, some kind of socket wrench (to remove tire from car), a blanket, ice scraper/brush, jumper cables, an tire pressure guage, and a can of fix a flat. Come to think of it, I should add a flashlight. I keep everything, with the exception of the small jack which is in with my spare, in a small tool box. This might not be normal stuff to keep in an emergency box but it works for me. I am a bit of a car person… I know how to change oil, change the air filter, rotate tires, change spark plugs, etc. I do my own mini-tune ups. Anyway, back to the kit… I cannot stress enough the can of fix a flat. I honestly think that everyone (kid or not) should at least have one of those cans in their trunk at all times. I was once 2 hours away from home and got a flat at a friends house. My dad taught me how to patch a tire back when I was a teenager. Tire was completely flat, rim of the wheel completely to the floor. I blew up my tire with my fix a flat, drove to my friends fathers house, and we found the hole in my tire (drywall screw… not surprising considering my friends were in the midst of finishing their basement) and patched it up. I was glad my friends dad had the stuff in his garage - I really didn’t feel like paying someone to fix the tire for me when I know how to fix it myself. I used his air compressor and my tire pressure gauge to put my tire back to 31 psi! I added my own tire patching stuff to my tool box soon after. Hopefully I never have to use it.</p>
<p>A freshman girl at DS’s university was killed last year in a single car accident returning to school the Sunday after Thanksgiving. No weather issues…10AM in the morning…some think she was texting and somehow lost control of the car. I always tell DS’s gf to hang on to both of their phones. </p>
<p>fendergirl, not that I wouldn’t still use it on a dark road at night, but doesn’t fix-a-flat ruin the tire? I had always heard that it did and should only be used as a last resort.</p>
<p>I don’t know enough about tires to answer that… but I wouldn’t put a can of fix a flat in a tire and expect it to last forever. I think you still need to actually fix it. I fixed that tire two or three years ago and haven’t had any issues with it since.</p>
<p>I put my Ds winter emergency kit together before she leaves home n Sept. I make up a smalll backpack and it includes
empty aluminium coffee can with a nail punched through middle on the bottom
a 6 inch candle that she can push onto the nail
a book of water proof matches
a wind up flashlight with the plug to run her cell phone
2 energy bars
all of these fit nicely inside the coffee can with the lid on
then she has a refelctive emergency vest, extra pair of mitts, hat, and there is always a sleeping bag in her trunk
The other thing I got her this year is the emergency flaslight that has both a seat belt cutter and window breaker built in. most importantly though she was taught how to use everything.</p>
<p>The coffee can with candle is an amazing thing to have because if you break down in the winter and the engine wont run for heat all you need to do is stand the candle up in the can on the nail, put it on the dashboard and light it. it will give you light and it will also generate heat. I would not let in burn for more than about 20 minutes at a time but it is enough to keep you semi warm.
Good Luck to everyone travelling, our D leaves at about 11 this morning for the drive home. Not far but it still worries us</p>
<p>When I drive the 7+ hours to/from school, I usually go with my best friend, who lives half an hour north of me when we’re both home. She holds both of our cell phones. It’s gotten to the point that when my mom texts for updates and she knows I’m on the way home, she’ll preface the text with “Hi bestfriend!”</p>
<p>I am glad I live in CA and so rarely have to deal with snow (I’ve seen it driving down the Grapevine, but never actually had to drive in it). But I’ve had a few near misses driving home from school. Saturday, for example, we caught fog so thick I couldn’t see more than a few FEET in front of me. Told my best friend if it kept up very long I was going to have to pull over. Thankfully it didn’t last very long.</p>
<p>S1 announced he would be riding home with a girl who lives in our area. Sounded good to me because I would not have to stress out about airport travel the Sunday after T-Giving. What I didn’t know until they were leaving school is that the girl’s car was acting up and her father wanted someone to ride with her. Great - 6 hours across Wisconsin with potential storms and a car with issues. They did make it home okay, but S1 had turned off his cell phone to save the power and I foolishly forgotten to ask for the other person’s cell # was or even her last name. Needless to say, I was very nervous for several hours.</p>
<p>I talked to son this morning. He is driving home tomorrow. I was happy to hear he is giving a friend a ride. While they have no risk of hitting snow he does have potential for heavy fog or rain. Plus his drive includes a Hwy that looks simple but is known for being deceiving. Add in that he has only driven this road once before and he is a male driver. I worry.
D is driving from Indiana to the Chicago area. Only about 3 hours but she is new to winter driving. I am going to suggest she have some emergency supplies in the car.</p>
<p>DD suggests you remind your home coming students that holiday weekends are a prime time for speed traps, do not pass that truck, you and 4 other cars will all be ticketed :(</p>
<p>D got a speeding ticket today on her way home Of course my last words to her were to watch for police, because they would be looking for speeding students…thankfully she is home safely now and learned a very good lesson…</p>
<p>S2 is driving home right now. He has a friend with him. They purposefully waited later to leave hoping to avoid rush hour/work traffic. It’s a four hour drive, interstate the whole way. The traffic on the interstate here was already very heavy this afternoon.
I’m afraid it’s going to be a long night for them. My last words to him were “don’t speed”.</p>
<p>My son is driving with 2 other friends from Syracuse to Chicago, a 12 hour trip. They left this afternoon at 3:30 so it’s going to a long night for all of us. He has been sending me text. So far I got ones when when they got to Buffalo, PA, and now in Ohio. I am just happy he is not driving here in western Washington state where our roads are completely iced over!</p>
<p>Judy–Indiana and Interstate 80/90 here should be good to go. I noticed today traffic was picking up, but thankfully there are no weather issues. Best wishes for your son and all the other kids who have to travel.</p>
Of course my last words to her were to watch for police, because they would be looking for speeding students…thankfully she is home safely now and learned a very good lesson…</p>