How to prepare your car for a road trip

A lot of people are taking local and across-the-state road trips in the summer, where international travel by plane is not recommended. It is very important to keep your car maintained and prepared for the long trip ahead, for safety reasons. 

The last thing you want on a family road trip is the car breaking down and ruining the anticipated road trip.

Here are some steps to safely planning your car for the long road ahead:

Check your tires

Make sure your car tire pressure is accurate and make sure the tire does not have any nails in it. Sometimes nails can go unnoticed, so it is best to take the car to the tire center to get them inspected. If your car tire has to be replaced, it is highly recommended to do so.

Tires are very important for a car, and having a flat tire can cause huge accidents. When traveling in the winter, the roads can freeze and the tires can also skid, which is very dangerous.

Clean your air filters

Air filters should be cleaned and replaced when necessary. Your family does not want to go on a long trip breathing in dirty air. The cabin filter should also be checked to make sure there is clean air circulating inside your vehicle.

Check your brakes

Brakes are also a very important component of the car, and when the brakes are worn there is a risk of accidents. Fixing the brakes is very important, because when driving at high speeds down the freeways, it would be a nightmare to have the brakes malfunctioning. Brake inspections can be done at the dealer or repair centers.

Check the car battery and engine

The car battery should be fixed and working well. Sometimes, when cars are not used for a long time batteries can go out and needs to be jumped by a cable. Make sure it is working properly, so that the battery does not die while on the road trip. Have an extra pair of cables so that you can ask a nice passerby to help jump your car if there is an emergency.

Make sure the oil is changed and check for leaks

Oil changes should not go unnoticed or unchanged, because your car and engine parts can wear down over time. Not getting an oil change can produce bigger unwanted problems for other car parts. Your car can even wear down faster, and it is best to change the oil on time. Make sure your oil is changed before driving on a road trip.

Prepare an emergency kit

Going on a long trip with an emergency kit is highly recommended, in case something happens to the car. If possible, try to pack a spare tire and tire mounting tools. Sometimes the car can step on a nail or something sharp when driving down the highways, and knowing how to change tires can come in handy. Some other tools can include wrenches, drivers, jumper cables, and a portable tire inflator in the emergency kit.