What to do if you fall ill or are injured while caravanning or motorhoming

Hitting the open road with your motorhome or with a caravan in tow is exciting and for many will have taken lots of preparations to make even the shortest of trips a memorable one. But it also comes with the responsibility of being prepared for the unexpected.

As well as keeping an eye on the weather, planning your route and avoiding getting stuck in traffic, there are some things that you can’t plan for, and one thing that will probably befall us all at some point is an injury or illness while caravanning or motorhoming. With that in mind, it makes sense to take any reasonable precautions you can.

Staying safe while caravanning or motorhoming

Whether you’re a seasoned traveller or new to the lifestyle, knowing what to do in case of a health emergency is crucial. Here are some practical planning tips to help you stay safe and prepared while enjoying your caravan and motorhome travels.

Pre-trip preparations

If you have any pre-existing health conditions it’s worth going for a medical check-up before you go on a long trip away and make sure you have adequate health insurance and that it does cover medical emergencies. Make sure you have enough prescription medication for your trip away and carry a copy of your prescriptions, especially if travelling abroad.

First aid kit

Whether you take a first aid kit away on holiday, or just keep one in the ‘van, remember to do a stock take now and then. Make sure you’ve got all the essentials and have a good supply of common medications for headaches, colds, allergies, stomach upsets and minor injuries. Think about child friendly medicines such as Calpol if you’re taking young ones, often those are harder to find on holiday. Replace anything that’s already been used, and if there are things you’ve had in there for a while, keep in mind that some items might have a “use by” date.

Think about whether you need anything over and above the usual plasters and bandages for when you have a disagreement with the awning or folding up your outdoor camping table! Do any of your family need specific allergy medication or inhalers for example? And it’s always worth having creams and sprays to treat minor burns if you love cooking outdoors (or indoors).

Know your location

Speaking of first aid, there might be times when your basic first aid kit doesn’t quite cut it. You might spend your caravanning and motorhoming holidays relaxing with a book, or you might be the active type who prefers to relax by scaling a mountain! But in either case, we’re not immune to tripping over our own feet!

Before you travel, take a look at where the nearest hospital or treatment centre is, especially if you’re holidaying with children, have a long-term health problem, or for anyone who’s just downright clumsy! Keep a note of clinics and pharmacies along your route and near the campsite.

If you or any of your party do fall ill or need non-urgent medical help then call 111.

Light up the trip hazards!

There are steps you can take to avoid an injury while camping, especially if you’re in an unfamiliar environment. You might have noticed people using fairy lights and solar lanterns outside their ‘vans. Not only can these look really pretty and show off your personality, but they’re great at highlighting trip hazards like guy ropes, windbreaks, or rabbit holes.

Think about how you could use your lighting to help you avoid taking a tumble!

Stay connected

And if you’re going out for an adventure, or just stumbling to the shower block in the early hours of the morning, remember to think ICE. This stands for In Case of Emergency. This is a feature on many smartphones allowing you to set up emergency contacts, should the worst happen and a medical professional needs to contact your loved ones. On the iPhone you can add your contacts under the Health App, look for the “Medical ID” menu option within the app to do this. On an Android phone go to “Settings”, tap “About phone”, then tap “Emergency Information”, click “Update” at the top of the screen and then add your emergency contacts.

If you’re travelling alone, remember to let someone know where you’re going. Perhaps consider taking a portable power bank and don’t forget those all-important charging cables so you can keep your mobile devices charged up. You can even share your location on mapping apps, allowing a trusted friend or family member to keep an eye on where you are.

Stay connected with family or friends by scheduling regular check-ins and let them know if your plans change.

Caravan Guard ill driver cover

Ultimately however, despite taking every precaution in the world, there will be times when accidents happen when caravanning and motorhoming and you do get stuck. This is where you can really trust Caravan Guard to insure your freedom, as all of our motorhome and touring caravan insurance policies include ill driver cover as standard.

For motorhome insurance policyholders, this falls under the motorhome breakdown cover. So if a driver is injured while motorhoming and unable to drive and there’s no one qualified to drive the motorhome, we will either recover the motorhome or provide and pay for a driver to take the motorhome and the people in it to your intended destination. In some cases, we might request a medical certificate or letter to confirm the injury or illness that means the driver is not fit to drive.

For caravan insurance policyholders, if the driver of a towing vehicle is too ill to drive while caravanning in the UK and no other passenger is able to drive, we will cover up to the amount specified on your insurance schedule for the cost of standard rail fare for the driver to return home. We will also pay the cost of returning your caravan to its storage location and you tow car to your home address.

So you can rest assured that should the worst come to worst and you fall ill or are injured while caravanning or motorhoming, your Caravan Guard insurance policy will get you home again.

For more information about our highly rated caravan insurance visit: www.caravanguard.co.uk/touring-caravan-insurance and for more information about our award winning motorhome insurance cover visit www.caravanguard.co.uk/motorhome-insurance

Over to you…

Have you got any stories of falling ill or being injured while caravanning and motorhoming or how you prepare for the unexpected? Let us know in the comments below.