As we head towards summer many of you will no doubt be planning some road trips that you will take across the country with friends and family. Road tripping is one of my most favorite types of holidays, there is something about hitting the open road that just gives you a real sense of freedom, not to mention the fun you will have inside the car. There is much to be planned before you jump in the car and drive however, you must have a destination, supplies, entertainment and a route but more important that these things, your car must be in perfect condition to get you to your destination safely.
With more cars on the road, there is a higher risk than ever of getting involved in an collision and road accident claims are rising year on year despite cars being safer than ever before. If you have a road trip coming up this year then here are some of the things that you should be checking in order to ensure you can be as safe as possible on the road.
Service
If your car is nearing its mileage for a service then jump the gun and have it taken in as soon as possible. This will ensure that should you need to replace any parts of the car, that you will have plenty of time to source the parts and make the repairs.
Fluids
If you are between services then you should be checking that your car has sufficient levels of oil, brake fluid and water. Topping these up can be done easily and there are instructions on doing so in your car’s manual.
Tyres
- Pressure Low
Tyre pressure can not only affect your car’s performance, give you a poorer MPG and make driving more difficult but it can also affect how effective the brakes are and how well the car steers. To avoid the dangers that low tyre pressures can cause, head to your local garage and top them up. You will be able to find your optimum tyre pressure in your manual and the process is very simple.
- Spares
You should also ensure that your car has a spare tyre in the boot as well as the equipment with which to replace it.
- Tread
You may surprised at the amount of accidents that can be caused when the tread on the tyre is worn down, this affects how well you brake and can cause skidding on corners or in poor conditions. If your tread is low then it is time to replace the tyres.
Windscreen
You should ensure that your windscreen is fully clean and has no cracks or chips, even the smallest chip could cause the whole windscreen to break whilst you are driving, a very real safety concern.
Lights
It is important that you check all of your lights and indicators before you set off on your trip, if you are driving in the dark and they don’t work then you are going to prove to be a danger to yourself and other road users. Lights can be checked with easy and bulbs are very cheap and easy to replace.
Make sure that you have completed all of these checks before you head out on the road to ensure both your own safety and the safety of others.
