by Nathan Michael - Posted 2 years ago
When planning a road trip, follow these safety pointers
If a road trip is on your agenda, that’s awesome! There’s
nothing better for creating memories than watching the country go by outside
your window as you spend quality time with your family or friends. And, of
course, we want you to always keep safety at the top of mind. These tips and
insights are sure to help:
First, dust off the manual and look through the
maintenance schedule. If there are things that are due or overdue, such as oil
and filter changes, get those done. While you’re at the mechanic, go ahead and
have all your car’s fluids topped off. Ask your mechanic to do a complete check
of the car with your impending road trip in mind.
Take stock of your tires. Let’s assume they aren’t too
old and worn. When you’re on the road for hours at a time, tires get pretty hot
and if unbalanced can lead to a blowout. As with other basic and regular
upkeep, have your tires balanced and rotated on a schedule. This allows them to
wear evenly. Also, don’t forget to make sure the air pressure in your tires is
up to the recommended psi.
The car should now be looking good and raring to hit the
road, so it’s time to pack a few safety items. An emergency kit is always a
good thing to have in the car, but especially handy for long trips. A tire
pressure gauge and a set of jumper cables is never a bad idea either.
Give some thought to navigation too. Most new cars have a
GPS system built in, and smartphones also have mapping features (some better
than others)! However, it is wise to know the routes you want to take ahead of
time. Are there going to be toll roads along the way? What kind of construction
or other delays should you expect? A good old fashioned atlas can take you far
when you need to navigate with the bigger picture in mind.
When you crave adventure via the open road, take some
measures to be sure you’re safe and prepared. Use these tips to help you get
ready and then enjoy the road trip!