When our daughter called and said that she was coming home during her mid-winter break, I was very concerned.
Not only would she be driving on her own, but, she would need to make her way through the mountains and many times the roads can be almost impassable.
We found an app for her phone that would give her weather warnings along the route so at least she would be prepared if something was ahead. We told her that if it was too bad, she should stop at a hotel along the way and wait out any storms. We didn’t expect her to call and tell us she was stopping because the weather was holding. She called and said that she needed to take the car into a mechanic because she lost the HVAC system in the middle of a mountain pass. Not only were the roads icing over but she was freezing as well. She knew that if she tried to keep going, she could get stranded somewhere on the side of the road and have no way to stay warm. I didn’t even mind paying the hotel bill or the repair bill because at least she had used common sense. The mechanic said that the main heat coil had broken and he needed to order the part. It would be there the following day. She stayed at a hotel with great amenities and at least she had an HVAC unit in her room to keep her warm and cozy during her stay. It is always scary when your child is taking a long trip on their own and I am glad that this one turned out as it did.