Planning Your First Family Road Trip This Summer? Start With These Safety Features
June 24 2025,
Summer road trips create lasting family memories, but they also present unique challenges that require preparation and the right vehicle features. Modern safety technology can help make your journey smoother and more secure, giving you peace of mind while exploring new destinations.
Planning ahead means thinking beyond maps and snacks. The safety systems in your vehicle play a crucial role in protecting your family during long drives, unfamiliar routes, and varying weather conditions that summer travel often brings.
EyeSight Technology: Your Extra Set of Eyes
The 2025 Subaru Forester comes standard with EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, which uses cameras to monitor the road ahead and help prevent accidents. This system becomes particularly valuable during long drives when fatigue can affect your reaction time.
Pre-collision Braking can detect vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists ahead of your vehicle. If the system determines a collision is likely and you haven't responded, it can apply the brakes automatically to help avoid or reduce the impact.
Adaptive Cruise Control maintains a set following distance from the vehicle ahead, automatically adjusting your speed as traffic conditions change. This reduces the constant speed adjustments needed in varying traffic, helping reduce driver fatigue on long highway stretches.
Lane Keep Assist monitors lane markings and provides gentle steering corrections if you begin to drift out of your lane unintentionally. Combined with Lane Departure Warning, this system helps keep you centered in your lane during those long stretches of highway driving.
Visibility Features for Safer Navigation
Good visibility becomes critical when driving unfamiliar routes or in changing weather conditions. The Forester's design prioritizes sightlines in all directions.
Key visibility features include:
- Large glass area: Generous windows provide clear views of surroundings
- Door-mounted side mirrors: Positioned to minimize blind spots
- High seating position: Better view of traffic and road conditions ahead
- Steering Responsive Headlights: Automatically turn to illuminate corners and curves
- Auto High Beam Assist: Switches between high and low beams based on oncoming traffic
The available Subaru Rear/Side Vehicle Detection system adds Blind Spot Detection and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping you spot vehicles that might not be visible in your mirrors.
Cargo Space and Organization
Proper packing contributes to safety by ensuring good visibility and preventing loose items from becoming projectiles during sudden stops. The Forester offers 1,048 litres of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 2,098 litres with the 60/40-split rear seats folded down.
The wide cargo opening and low lift-over height make loading and unloading easier, while multiple tie-down points help secure your gear properly. Standard roof rails provide additional carrying capacity for bikes, kayaks, or a cargo box.
Ground Clearance and All-Weather Capability
Summer weather can be unpredictable, and you might encounter unexpected road conditions during your travels. The Forester's 220 mm of ground clearance helps you navigate through construction zones, unpaved campground roads, or areas affected by summer storms.
Standard Symmetrical Full-Time All-Wheel Drive provides confident handling on wet roads, gravel surfaces, or any other conditions you might encounter. Unlike systems that only engage when wheels slip, this system continuously distributes power between front and rear wheels for optimal traction.
Emergency Preparedness Features
The Forester includes several features that can help in emergency situations. The available SUBARU STARLINK Connected Services can automatically contact emergency services if the airbags deploy, providing your location to first responders even if you're unable to make the call yourself.
Standard features like a 12V power outlet and USB ports help keep your devices charged so you can stay connected with family or call for help if needed.
Pre-Trip Planning Considerations
Before departing, familiarize yourself with your vehicle's safety systems and how to operate them. Understand how to turn systems on or off as needed, and know what the various alerts and warnings mean.
Check that car seats are properly installed and that all passengers understand how to use their seatbelts correctly. Make sure the first aid kit is accessible and that emergency contact information is readily available.
Take time to plan your route, including rest stops and overnight stays. Having a clear plan reduces stress and helps ensure you're driving during your most alert hours.
Discover how the 2025 Subaru Forester's safety features can enhance your family's next adventure at Subaru of Maple, where our team can walk you through each system in detail.
