Pandemic Travel: Tips to Keep Safe Traveling Cross-Country Amid COVID-19

In March of 2020, world travel came to a screeching halt. Countries closed their borders, and people went indoors. The COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot about the way we live, work, play, and about the way we travel. 

Now, caution is key if you want to keep yourself and your family safe. 

As regulations have largely relaxed around the globe, many countries are open for travel. But as of 2021, with the Delta variant still driving hospitalizations, people are still being encouraged to play it safe. 

Thankfully, traveling the country by car is still fairly safe. And since no states have imposed quarantine orders currently, you’re still able to travel by car all over the United States. But, what are the best practices to keep yourself safe amid the pandemic?

Here, we’ll explore a few strategies that will keep you safe and help mitigate the chances of catching the virus. 

Keep Your Car Maintenanced

The whole trick about staying safe during the pandemic is staying away from other people. But, people are social creatures by nature, and we can’t always limit our space. 

When it comes to your car, however, if you keep it maintained then this mitigates the chances that you’ll come into contact with others while out on the road. By doing preventative maintenance, you’ll also lessen the chances of a breakdown while traveling as well.

If you keep your car properly maintained, you most likely won’t have to worry about dealing with a tow truck driver in the event of a breakdown, or several mechanics that have to work on your car thereafter, or a lengthy hotel stay with others coming in and out while you wait to get your car fixed. Auto insurance SR22 is a must if you want to enhance the safety of your car. You must make sure your insurance policy has the maximum coverage.

In addition, ensure that you have some form of roadside assistance on your auto insurance policy. If not, shop around and compare new auto insurance quotes.

Where to Stay?

Unless you have a home in every state that you’re traveling across, you’re going to need places to stay along your trip. And while hotels have been pretty good at setting COVID-19 guidelines, you’ll need to use your best judgment when entering and staying at hotels.

Keep in mind, however, that many businesses are now requiring proof of vaccination or vaccine passports in order to enter an establishment or attend an event.

Other options that you might want to consider are primitive campgrounds. The risk of catching COVID-19 is greatly reduced when gathering in small groups outdoors. And as most primitive campsites offer a good amount of space between other sites, your contact with people will also be greatly reduced. 

Another option to consider is Airbnb rentals or condos. Many of these places have self-check-in availability, meaning that you’ll get access to a key or a code to unlock the rental, all without having to deal with a person. 

Guidelines to Follow

Each state mandates its own COVID-19 protocols. Additionally, towns within each state also may have different protocols to adhere to. So you’ll need to pay attention to local ordinances regarding wearing masks and social distancing requirements if these are in place. 

It’s a good practice to obey any signage that you see before entering a store, gas station, or any other building where other patrons are present. If you see a sign that says, “wear a mask” it’s a best practice to do so.

While the current vaccines that we have are helping to reduce the spread, as of 2021 these are not a failsafe by any means. Vaccinated people are still able to become infected and spread the virus, though not as likely as unvaccinated people.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to basic common sense. Covering your mouth when you cough is essentially what a mask represents. It’s not foolproof, but it does help. So it’s a good practice to keep your distance and to keep a mask on when around others while traveling. 

The pandemic has surged in 2021, and though our state borders are open for travel, it’s up to each individual to adhere to guidelines in order to keep from continuing to spread the virus.