7 After 6: AAA suggestions for staying secure throughout Fourth of July vacation journey

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – AAA Communications Specialist Valerie Puma joined 7News anchor Chad Charette on the Digital News Desk to share suggestions for staying secure throughout Fourth of July vacation journey, together with methods to put together your automobile, keep away from operating out of gasoline, and shield youngsters and pets from sizzling vehicles.

Packing your automobile for the warmth

Puma stated vacationers ought to hold an emergency roadside equipment inside attain within the again seat. She really helpful packing water, electrolyte packets, or drinks akin to Gatorade, and snacks, not just for folks, but additionally for pets touring within the automobile. She additionally stated vacationers ought to deliver sunscreen and light-weight clothes given excessive UV ranges, and verify their automobile’s fluid ranges earlier than departing.

“Hydration is definitely going to be key,” Puma stated. “And paying attention to your vehicle’s hydration as well, checking those fluid levels before you start your road trip, is going to be a great place to start.”

Tires, fluids, and roadside preparedness

Puma stated tires are the one a part of a automobile that touches the highway, making tire tread and tire strain checks crucial earlier than any highway journey. She stated low tire strain mixed with sizzling pavement and excessive temperatures “could be a recipe for blowouts.”

AAA initiatives that about 85% of the 72.2 million Americans touring 50 miles or extra from dwelling throughout the vacation week will journey by automobile. Puma stated vacationers also needs to verify coolant and all different automobile fluids, not simply windshield wiper fluid, earlier than hitting the highway.

Traffic, gasoline, and the AAA app

Puma stated July 4 might see heavy site visitors all through the whole day, with vacationers heading to yard barbecues, state parks, and lake seashores. She really helpful filling up the gasoline tank earlier than leaving dwelling reasonably than risking operating out whereas caught in stop-and-go site visitors.

She stated AAA has obtained calls from vacationers who ran out of gasoline, together with these heading to rural areas unfamiliar to them the place gasoline stations are farther aside.

Puma really helpful downloading the free AAA cellular app, which is accessible to non-members. The app features a map exhibiting close by gasoline stations and electrical automobile chargers with worth comparisons, native points of interest, and a TripTix route planner that may schedule stops each two hours or each 100 miles.

“Even if you’re not a AAA member, I recommend downloading the AAA mobile app,” Puma stated.

She stated carrying an additional gasoline canister is a private resolution, however could also be value contemplating for journey to rural areas with restricted gasoline station entry.

Impaired driving and designated drivers

Puma stated anybody planning to drink alcohol or use leisure medication akin to marijuana throughout vacation celebrations ought to have a plan in place earlier than the night time ends. Options she listed embody a chosen driver, staying in a single day on the host’s residence, utilizing a rideshare app akin to Uber or Lyft, or calling a neighborhood taxi.

She additionally stated get together hosts ought to supply non-alcoholic drinks and concentrate on friends who might have consumed greater than meant.

“Don’t be afraid to take the keys from someone that you know should not be behind the wheel of a car,” Puma stated.

Hot vehicles and youngster security

Puma stated AAA has been targeted on the hazards of sizzling vehicles amid the present warmth wave. She cited National Safety Council knowledge exhibiting a mean of 37 youngsters ages 15 and youthful die in sizzling vehicles annually. In 2025, there have been 31 such deaths. So far in 2026, eight deaths have been reported throughout the nation.

She stated automobile inside temperatures can rise 20 levels in simply 10 minutes, even on a reasonably sunny day. Children’s our bodies warmth up about 5 occasions quicker than adults’, she stated, and the identical threat applies to aged people and pets.

Puma stated cracking a window will not be adequate safety and doesn’t make it secure to depart a toddler or pet unattended in a automobile. She really helpful finishing errands earlier than choosing up a pet and at all times bringing youngsters and aged people inside reasonably than leaving them within the automobile.

She supplied one extra tip for caregivers who will not be accustomed to having a toddler within the again seat: place a cellphone, pockets, or automobile keys within the again seat as a reminder to verify earlier than exiting the automobile.

“It does sound a little odd, but it’s definitely — it can save lives,” Puma stated.

AAA roadside help

Puma stated AAA places of work will likely be closed Friday, July 4, however roadside help stays obtainable 24 hours a day, seven days per week. She stated membership prices $3.65 per yr. AAA members can use the cellular app to request roadside service, which she stated helps get members into the queue quicker and pins their location for responders.