Americans are going on more road trips than ever, with many as 70% of personal out-of-state trips for recreational purposes racking up the miles on a car instead of a plane. Safe driving involves keeping your vehicle in good condition, and that’s even more important when you’re going on a long drive.
Things to check before a road trip
Routine maintenance is key for your car’s longevity. If you’ve had your vehicle properly maintained in recent weeks or months, a check before a long drive should be a formality. However, a visual inspection is still an important detail to allow for confident travel.
Your tires are the only parts on your car that touch the road. That makes them your primary safety system. Check your tire pressures and adjust it to the correct spec on the driver’s door sticker. Don’t assume a tire pressure monitoring system reading is correct. Use a tire pressure gauge on the tires themselves.
If one or more tires are more than a few PSI low, have a tire shop or your dealership look them over for leaks. A flat tire is one of the worst ways to disrupt your trip.
If something is dirty or low, deal with it before leaving on a road trip. It might be a matter of routine servicing or a repair you didn’t know you needed.
3. Visually inspect belts and hoses
4. Check the exterior lights
A car’s outside lighting is solely for safe driving. Headlights help you see, but all the other lights are to indicate your intentions to other drivers. Make sure your brake lights, signals, and marker lights all operate so other motorists can tell where you are and identify any maneuvers you’re about to make. Replace any bulbs that are burnt out.
5. Monitor for warning indicators
It wouldn’t be wise to take a long drive in a car that has warning lights on, especially if you don’t know what they are. At minimum, have the problem diagnosed before your trip so you know if it’s safe to drive or not.
By following the above steps, you should be prepared to take that long drive and not have to worry about your car failing halfway though.
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