We know you're out there planning a road trip, even if you don't own a car. According to LeaseTrader.com, their June 2009 "Summertime Vehicle Recreation Survey" of more than 1,500 people reveals that a majority of clients are planning road trips. This company serves families on a budget, who take over short term leases to save money on car rentals. The majority of those surveyed (63%) are opting for shorter-term summertime recreational vehicles that are 10-20% less expensive than what they would normally spend in years past.

According to LeaseTrader.com, their customers are opting for the Ford Escape Hybrid for summer activities like family fishing trips. They also found that the Volkswagen Tiguan and Mazda CX-7 are two additional vehicles many people are choosing for budget-friendly recreation outings.  While the majority of customers want summertime activities, like camping and backpacking, that involve being together with the family, many still want convertibles for a fun summer ride. Leasetraders.com found that short-term lease drivers today favor the MINI Cooper convertible compared with the most popular (and much more expensive) choice of two years ago – the Mercedes-Benz CLK convertible. Other companies have seen an increased interest among daily vehicle renters for a hybrid or vehicle that runs on bio-fuel or diesel.

Today, eco-friendly driving is what's on the radar, instead of avoiding speed traps. Families should keep in mind a few helpful tips to conserve on fuel, and driving the speed limit (or less than 60mph) is the first one. We know city kids love drive-in fast food places, but supporting local restaurants who use local products is better for the communities you visit. Consider avoiding drive-through lines altogether, as idling wastes gas, produces emissions, and increases overall engine wear. 

As American families hit the road this season, we thought about what advice we might offer to make those car trips the most comfortable and safe experiences.

Making the Road Trip More Driver-Friendly

Buying, leasing or renting a convertible is an easy way to guarantee fun. But no matter what wheels you've got, taking frequent breaks is a very important strategy for dealing with the dreaded CBKS (car-bound kid syndrome), whose symptoms include squabbling, whining, and kids’ general dissatisfaction with being in a moving compartment with their parents. 

Most parents agree that distractions such as iPods, games and audio books are absolute musts, as well.  And you’ve heard that as the in-charge adults and drivers, parents can trade off the driver and cruise director roles. 

For the parent in the driver’s seat, however, there are ways to optimize the comfort and function of your seat, which is your closest companion for those long stretches of driving that make up more and more of our vacations.

Getting Comfortable in the Driver’s Seat

Automobile manufacturers spend large of amounts of time and money in research and development of seat technology, with comfort the ultimate goal.  Ford Motor Company’s Seat Comfort Engineer Mike Kolich offers the following tips for staying comfortable on long drives.  His  suite of adjustments will optimize seat comfort and safe driving capabilities.

-Press your foot firmly to the floor behind the brake. Adjust the seat so your knee is slightly bent.

-Your left foot should rest comfortably on the “dead pedal” placed on the left in cars with automatic transmissions.  For manual transmission cars (stick shift), you should be able to depress the clutch without pointing your toes and with minimal hip rotation of your hips. Your left leg should be slightly bent when clutch is fully depressed.

-The small of your back should be pressed firmly to the back of the seat.

-Position your upper body so the side wings of the seat provide as much support as possible.

-Raise the seat as high off the floor as feels comfortable.

-While maintaining proper vision and reach, recline a little bit. This reduces fatigue.  For measurement in determining how little is that bit, our elbows should be slightly bent with your wrists on the top of the steering wheel (understanding that Ford safety experts recommend driving with your hands at the 9 and 3 o’clock positions for the best steering control to avoid an accident).

-Try turning the wheel a full 180 degrees. If either hand falls off the wheel, you’re too far away.  If you elbow yourself, you’re too close.

-Once you’re comfortable, make sure your seatbelt rides around your hips so it pulls you down in the event of a crash. 

As a further note, Kolich and his team just finished designing an industry-first, the Multi-Contoured Seat, which includes a series of air bladders that help with blood circulation and offers both lumbar and seat massage, making long trips less fatiguing.  These revolutionary seats (illustrated above) will debut on the 2010 Ford Taurus this summer, and parents better watch out—your backseat passengers may demand them, too.