A road trip is a fun experience. More so if you’re adequately prepared for one. The last thing you want to happen is for a problem to arise without you having the necessary resources to solve it, like a popped tire or running out of gas.
Did you think that road trips are a thing of the past because more people opt to fly to places? Well, that isn’t the case. Americans are still fond of driving to places, albeit the trips have become shorter than the past distances they used to travel using cars.
If you’re planning a trip alone or with a few other buddies, you can use this list of tips to prepare for it:
1. Clean your car.
Fast food wrappers, empty bottles, and many others can be left stuck somewhere inside your car. You should get rid of them before starting your trip because it’s likely that there will be more junk because during your trip.
A messy space can give you a lot of stress in finding the stuff you brought. You don’t want your time wasted on the road looking for your phone. So, before your trip starts, purge your car of junk.
2. Get your car checked.
A week before the road trip is an ideal time to bring the car into your local shop for a check-up. Your mechanic should be able to check your car’s tires, brakes, fluid levels, and others. Make sure that you get your car’s body checked for signs of corrosion that won’t help you when it rains.
You should also consider visiting a shop to get your paint redone in one of their spray booths. This would ensure that you don’t have holes in your exterior.
Encountering vehicle problems while you’re in the middle of nowhere can be challenging, especially if it happens during the dark.
After the check-up, you should prepare some basic car maintenance tools to make sure you can remedy some car problems to keep the trip going.
3. Anticipate traffic.
Just because it’s a road trip, it doesn’t equate to empty roads with one or two cars passing by or driving the same line with you every hour. You’ll also be traversing regular roads filled with public and private vehicles and people.
You’ll be met with rush hours, holidays in some places, or demonstrations in public that can increase your driving time. If you have a strict schedule or a destination you want to get to at a specific time, make sure you drive on these roads during its off-peak times.
You can use traffic apps to check road conditions before driving to certain locations during your trip.
4. Load your phone up with entertainment options.
While on the road, you wouldn’t only be driving. If the trip is long, you’d have times that you check into a place and rest. It’s unsafe and unhealthy to drive for endless hours. You don’t only pose harm to yourself but also to other people with you and on the road.
To not bore yourself while resting, you should get your phone or laptop filled up with your go-to entertainment options. Movies, series, or even your favorite books should be with you to keep you entertained during your downtimes throughout the trip.
5. Split tasks with people you’re traveling with.
If you’re not traveling alone, it’s a good thing to divide the work that needs to be done for a fun and easy time on the road. One can navigate, you drive, one passes the food around, and many others.
The work doesn’t have to rely solely on one person on the trip, potentially spoiling the whole experience for that one person. So, make sure to divide the labor before hitting the road.
6. Get your documents ready.
While on the road, it’s not impossible to encounter an officer asking for your driver’s license or some identification. This is not a far-fetched idea because they do this to ensure the vehicle you’re driving is not tagged as stolen or missing.
Make sure to bring your license, car registration, insurance documentation, and other proof of your identity and ownership of the car. You don’t want to have a side-trip to the police station while on the road, right? The worst-case scenario? Your ride can get impounded. What’s a road trip without a vehicle?
7. Check the weather.
Before you begin, make sure you know what’s ahead of you in terms of the weather. You’d want to be adequately prepared for a hot day, cold day, or a day with heavy rain that can compromise your driving experience.
Use weather applications to get an idea of how the weather will be like during your trip to prepare accordingly and not encounter problems.
