Summer Road trips - How to prepare your car

This year a lot of families will be spending their summer holidays in the UK, whether this is because of the financial burdens or just not wanting to deal with the hassle of airport check-ins and delayed flights. Driving can be a relatively stress free method of travelling long distances because unless you hit major traffic jams you’re free to set off when you feel like it and stop off when you need to take a break.

The trouble with long distance driving can be the wear and tear on your vehicle, caused by the weight of passengers and luggage, as well as caravans and bike racks which can be quite heavy on your car. In order to ensure you arrive safely and that your car is up to the task at hand, it’s best to check a few things over before you set off:

Secure your load

The weight of luggage will slow your car down but also increase drag so you’ll unfortunately use up more petrol. This can be combated somewhat by using a trailer instead of using a roof box. Cycles stored on the rear of the car are also advisable. With any storage method you should make sure that they are secured or shut properly. Caravans should be secured connected to the tow bar as well as wing mirror extenders attached to your car.

Fill up your petrol, oil and tyres

These three elements of your car are the ones which are most likely to suffer the most punishment, you’ll need to fill up your petrol tank if you’re going any distance as well as having some spare, just in case you lose your way or get stuck in traffic.

Oil levels should be checked before any long trip as the engine is likely to run for a long time than usual, as well as the tyres too. Inflating the tyres to their recommended levels before leaving is important considering the use they are about to experience.

Plan your route

Many people have GPS devices now that will guide you to your destination easily, but sometimes GPS devices can lead a lot of drivers on the same route, it’s worthwhile seeing you can avoid heavy traffic by planning alternate route in advance of your trip. A route may look shorter in distance but with a lot of other likeminded drivers on the road sometimes taking the longer distance route can bypass the crowds and get you there quicker.

As well as these key tips there’s plenty of other advice for road-trippers this summer such as leaving early to avoid rush hour traffic on the motorways and packing plenty of food and drink for the trip to keep the passengers happy. As long as you take extra care over your driving and other factors such as considering the extra load on your car then you should have no problems getting to your holiday destination.