Helpful Road Trip Tips – Going on a road trip in search of adventure is bound to turn into an unforgettable experience.
However, before you pack your bags and set off, it’s crucial that you address all aspects of a safe road trip and prepare for it properly. After all, you don’t want to get in trouble in a place far away from actual help. Also, depending on your itinerary, you should choose packing essentials to provide yourself (and other potential passengers) with comfort.
1. Clean your car before the trip
Cleaning your vehicle might not seem like an urgent action before the road trip but it will actually make a world of difference. Not only will you freshen up the interior of your vehicle to make it more comfortable for long drives, but cleaning up food and snack wrappers as well as other bits and bobs, cluttering the space, will make your car less cramped during the trip. There’s also a chance you’ll effectively create more room in your vehicle with this thorough declutter. Also, make it a point to clean your vehicle every couple of days during the road trip.
2. Check the condition of your vehicle
It’s essential that you make sure your vehicle is in a good driving condition before you actually embark on your road trip. That said, get your car to a mechanic at least a week before the trip is due. This is where you want to have your tires and brakes checked, together with fluid levels and any other aspects that might affect your smooth and safe drive.
And let’s not forget about other must-haves; jumper cables and wiper fluid together with a spare can of fuel should be on your list to bring to the road trip. The spare tire has to be properly inflated as well. Also, check that you have everything in your tire replacement kit. Finally, fluorescent car tie down straps will come in handy during the night drives.
3. Prepare for the unexpected
When you create your road trip itinerary, you want to opt for a loose plan, so that you don’t have to worry about potential delays on the road. For starters, inspect the roads you’d have to take on the map to see whether there’s some current work going on. Also, it would be helpful to see other potential routes that can take you to your itinerary spots, just in case. Make sure that you mark all the rest stops along the way as you never know when or why you’ll have to pull over.
In the end, call the local hotels and hostels where you could be staying during the road trip to see whether they’re overbooked already. If it’s difficult to get a room you should make your reservations ahead of time. But if they don’t have too many guests, it might be more efficient to wait until you get there, just in case you get held up on the road.
4. Fill your phone with entertainment options
You shouldn’t count on radio stations and Internet connection during the road trip. The chances are you won’t like the program or you simply won’t be able to go online. This is why it would be best to fill your phone with a bunch of entertainment options such as music, podcasts, audiobooks, and anything else you might like to listen to. Cars usually have a port for recharging the phone, so you should be all set in that regard. And even if you don’t want to overload your phone, you can still put everything you want on USB.
5. Have all your documents ready
It’s never a good idea to travel a long distance in your vehicle without all the necessary documentation with you. That said, your license and registration, as well as insurance, should all be ready to go with you. Otherwise, you risk getting into a lot of trouble if you get pulled over for any reason. Also, any old traffic and parking tickets should be completely cleared up before you go on your road trip, just to be on the safe side without having to worry about having your vehicle impounded.
Depending on the length of your trip, you’ll also need to bring certain amounts of food and water with you. It would be best to fill up your water bottles at the rest stops. When food is concerned, non-perishables are a must.
