Road Trip

The days are long, the weather's warm, the sky is blue . . . it's summer and we're ready to enjoy the great American pastime - road trips!

We want to get to wherever we're going safely - and healthily, too. A safe trip is ensured by following the rules of the road and practicing good driving habits. A healthy trip is ensured by bringing along snacks that fill us with fuel and are packed with healthful nutrients.

And a fun trip is ensured by keeping the kids entertained with plenty of music, games, and electronic gadgets.

Being a safe driver consists of continuously practicing many small habits.1,2 Keeping your eyes on the road is a given. When you need to check how the kids are doing in the back seat, just flick your eyes to the rear-view mirror. Don't turn your head around - instead, make eye contact with them in the mirror. Your kids can read your eyes pretty well - they don't need to see your face to know what you want them to do.

Keep checking the traffic around you. Use all three mirrors to see what's going on - who's behind you and who's on your right and left. Always make sure you have enough space to stop short or make a quick lane change if needed. If you're boxed in, all you can do when confronted with an obstacle is crash.

Maintain a minimum safe distance (MSD) from the car in front of you. The MSD between two cars traveling at 65 MPH on the freeway is three seconds. Find a landmark and start counting as the car in front of you passes it. If you reach it in less than three seconds there's not enough space between you and the first car.

And of course, only use a hands-free cell phone.

What about food? On longer trips, good snacks are key - for both the adults and the kids.

Kids want to eat chips, cookies, and candy.3 The best we can do is bring along more nutritious alternatives as well and encourage our kids to mix and match. Energy bars combining 20 grams of protein and 25 grams of carbohydrate are terrific. These chocolate-coated complete small meals have only 5 grams of fat and 300 calories. Juices without sugar additives provide energy and vitamins. Bananas, apples, carrots, and celery can be sliced and carried in plastic bags for no-mess access.

Bring plenty of water. Drinking enough water keeps everyone alert and focused. This is particularly important for the driver, as well as the passengers. Drinking enough water is a subtle way to keep everyone's spirits up, ensuring a happy, fun trip.

Road trips help families bond and create life-long memories. A little preparation goes a long way toward making these family outings safe and fun!

1Verschuur WL, Hurts K: Modeling safe and unsafe driving behaviour. Accid Anal Rev 40(2):644-656, 2008
2Donmez B, et al: Mitigating driver distractions with retrospective and concurrent feedback. Accid Anal Prev 40(2):776-786, 2008
3Contento IR, et al: Enhancing personal agency and competence in eating and moving. Formative evaluation of a middle school curriculum. J Nutr Educ Behav 39(5 Suppl):S179-S186, 2007

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Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

9:00 am-12:00 pm

2:00 pm-7:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

2:00 pm-5:30 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-12:00 pm

2:00 pm-7:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

2:00 pm-5:30 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-2:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonials

Reviews By Our Satisfied Patients

  • "Great staff and had awesome results!!! Best in the business!!"
    Shelly Fourth grade
  • "Dr. Bank and the entire staff are amazing! They truly care for your health... and treat you as a family!! Thank you!!"
    Bobbie Jo Bloom
  • "Dr Banks has saved my quality of life! I was involved in two car accidents and go back for regular maintenance. When I waited too long between visits I was unable to walk and he worked me in. Within two visits I was back to normal. I highly recommend him. His staff is also so caring and professional!"
    Dominique Gerardo
  • "I was searching for a chiropractor because I was not getting results. I have to say I am very pleased I tried Back to Welness. They take the time to explain everything clearly. The Dr goes over everything, explains in detail what’s going to happen and the results you can expect. He doesn’t pull any punches. All I have to say is WOW! After multiple adjustments the first day, the results where BETTER than ANY Chiro I have ever seen. I am a tiny bit soar the next day but aching bulging disk pain is GONE. After ten years of that pain it’s a god send!"
    Darin Morgan
  • "Caring staff and by far the best chiropractor I have ever been to. Dr. Bank is always able to help me find relief and feel better. I drive 45 minutes to see him because he is so good."
    Country Cupicake
  • "I feel so blessed to live right up the street from this place. The staff are wonderful and Dr. Banks is amazing. They can be very busy but will make you feel like you’re the only patient in the whole building !!"
    Candy Arellano