From the road trip games to the road trip snacks, you have got to love long road trips—but poor planning can take your joyride from a great time to a total stress event.
To ensure the success of your next road trip, we came up with these smart road trip tips, which will ensure your drive goes smoothly, even if poor weather or a roadside catastrophe strikes. These include:
1. Give your car checkup
Check your fluids (oil, brake, transmission, and wiper), tire pressure, and treads. Check whether your tyres need replacing. If wiper blades make noises or leave streaks, get new ones before you hit the road. You don’t want to find out your wipers don’t work while you’re on the highway in a deluge of rain. Ensure your first aid kit is stocked, and program a roadside service number into your phone to save yourself the harried wallet ransack if a tyre goes flat.
2. Plan your route
Aim to find a single spot where you can take a break, get fuel, eat, use the bathroom, and spend time outside. Discover road trip apps for fun locales that can turn a break into a quick, family-friendly diversion. On a longer trip, take a break every two hours or 100 miles. It’s good for your body and will make you a more alert driver.
3. Pack right
Don’t overload your car, which is bad for gas mileage, tyres, and safety. When you pack, stow heavy items low and toward the car’s center, put progressively lighter items on top. This method which limits the danger from projectiles in a sudden stop and, by keeping the car’s center of gravity low, can help prevent rollover.
4. Set up your seat
Adjust the seat height to keep your hips slightly higher than your knees. If you have bucket seats, you may want to place a cushion or rolled towel behind the small of your back. The steering wheel should be close enough that you can grip it without locking your elbows. Once you’re comfortable, adjust your mirrors so you can see out of them without craning your neck.
5. Maximise mileage
Frequent braking and accelerating can put a dent in your petrol budget, so use cruise control on highways to maintain speeds. The way you pack can also affect mileage, especially when you stow things on the roof: Reserve that spot for light but bulky items.