On the Road: When the Unthinkable Happens

Many people travel the interstates especially in the summer. Things can go wrong. Accidents happen and people are injured. Sometimes travelers can pass away. Until this past summer I had not given the matter much thought. That is when the unthinkable happened to people I know. Since I want to protect the privacy of the family, I will just say that one of the family members passed away on a trip. The individuals had stopped before continuing on their journey and were visiting relatives when this situation occurred, so they had the support and assistance of the family in coping with a shocking event.

I wondered what travelers should do if a member of the family died while the group was on the road, so I called my insurance agent for some advice. She told me that was a situation insurance agents do not encounter unless an accident has occurred. Her suggestion was to call the insurance's claim office anyway. They might be able to suggest a funeral home or at least give advice about the area.

The only other source of advice I received came from a local funeral home. I started to explain the reason behind my inquiry, but he already knew the story. The funeral director's advice was for travelers to ask the local coroner for a recommendation for a funeral home. He felt the coroner's office would be aware of the best and most honest funeral homes.

If a person travels alone, he should make sure to have identification available so the police can contact the next of kin. That information can be available on the cell phone; however, in case the cell phone is locked, have contact information near the driver's license where police can easily find it.

(Photo taken in 2013)