Family Travel

Get Your Car Ready for Road Trip Summer

Contributing Author June 15, 2021


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Whether it’s a simple day trip to a nearby city or attraction in the car or you’re preparing for a big road trip across state lines or even a coast to coast haul, bringing your own car brings an additional level of potential challenges that you need to be ready for. You probably don’t want to even think about things going wrong during your trip but cars do bring an inherent level of risk you should be ready for. Here are the three main approaches that you can take in getting ready to hit the road.

Road trip break after long drive. Man waiting for someone sitting on the fence.
Bring the right gear on your road trip! This guy could maybe use some cones and a reflective vest.

Start with the car itself

If you want to mitigate the chances of getting into trouble on the road then the single best way is to make sure that your car is ready and able to handle it. To this end, you’ll probably want to check on the deterioration that happens to every car as a result of use and wear and tear over time. If any maintenance has been ignored, your wheels could become a danger to you. There’s a lot that can be done at home, like changing spark plugs and brake pads when you need to, but if you’re going on a longer trip, then it’s a good idea to take it in for service at your local garage. Making sure that your insurance is up to snuff for the trip is a good idea, too.

Know who to call

A charged phone can be one of the most important parts of any car emergency kit. We’d also recommend a high quality portable charger in case you need to save on your car’s battery when you need to.  If you get into an accident or break down on the side of the road, it’s important to have the ability to get in touch with the right people. Reporting accidents to the emergency services and your insurance company is crucial. Beyond that, you should always keep the number of a group of seasoned car accident lawyers available in the car in case you need to hold another party responsible for causing damage or injury. Don’t neglect to keep the number of roadside assistance services on standby, either.

a basket full of items
Beyond the basic first-aid and spare tire equipment, your emergency kit can include just about whatever you want.

Keep a good kit at the ready

Mom & Dad always told us it’s important to have a GOOD set of jumper cables but we’ve found out it’s important to have a few other things on hand too.  You should make sure that you put together a complete car emergency kit to help you get out of all kinds of trouble or handle it as best as possible. This includes things to get the car up and running like a good jack, extra tire and a pair of jumper cables. You should also have standard emergency items like a first aid kit, as well as high-visibility gear like vests to wear or cones to put around the car to keep you visible in low-light conditions.

 

Risk on the road can be a troublesome topic to think about. However, getting caught without any form of preparation or consideration is going to make any crisis significantly more of a hassle and a real danger to you and anyone else in the car. Take the tips above to heart the next time you’re planning a trip in the car.

 

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Contributing Author

General travel tips and advice on destinations, hotels and flights.

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