What to Do Before Your Next Road Trip

What to Do Before Your Next Road Trip

Road trips are great, they can be fun and a nice change of pace from your typical day to day routine, but you need to be prepared well, otherwise, you might find yourself in a situation where the trip is not fun at all. Let us look at the things you need to have done before you leave on your trip.

The first thing would be to have your vehicle checked at an auto repair shop. There are some tune-ups that need to be done before you hit the road. Furthermore, there might even be an issue that needs fixing. You should have this done about 3 weeks before setting out on your road trip exactly because there might turn out that there is something more serious to be performed on the car. But the time period may vary, keep in mind two to four weeks before the day of the departure. You can’t set on a road trip with a vehicle that you cannot be sure is safe and up to the task. The most important things to have checked by a mechanic are:
    • fluids
    • battery
    • tires
    • air conditioning
    • belts
    • wipers
    • light and indicators

You should plan your route ahead of time with a GPS and a physical map. The physical map guarantees you that you will not be left without a map since it is completely possible for the GPS to lose power or signal. In addition, sometimes the GPS could make you go on a route that is not the best option – be it because it is too long, too crowded, or too much out of your way.

When you have to drive for many hours at a time, rest is of crucial importance. You need to be completely alert while on the road, so if you have the opportunity to change with another driver do so every two hours for instance. If there is no one you can change with then it is a good idea to make short pit stops every once in a while. Especially if you feel that you are drowsy, pull over as soon as possible and rest, in fact, you can even take a short nap so that you get refreshed. I cannot stress enough how important it is to get enough sleep the night before you leave for the road trip. You should make sure that everything is ready so that you do not worry throughout the night and not get proper rest. Also, make reservations for hotels in the towns you will be stopping, you don’t want to find yourself without shelter, having to sleep in your vehicle.

First aid kit! You simply cannot forget to have one in your vehicle especially while on a road trip. You never know what might happen and it is best to be prepared for any scenario. Speaking of being prepared for any scenario, let us take a look at what else you should have with you while on the road.
    • water
    • snacks (non-perishable ones like granola bars)
    • blankets
    • flares
    • jumper cables
    • tools to change a tire/to make minor repairs to the vehicle
    • flashlight
    • phone charger

If you want to take extra precautionary measures you can also purchase roadside assistance. You can do so through a private automobile association or through your insurance company. It is usually used in non-emergency situations, for instance, a flat tire, or if you have locked yourself out of your vehicle. If you own a new car or if you have leased it you could have roadside assistance included by the manufacturer for the first few years, the period depends on the manufacturer.

Have a great road trip and drive safe!