Summer holidays are all around, but way before reaching your destination, it’s essential to prepare your vehicle for a long journey. It’s not only necessary to pack general travel gear, but also fundamental to keep track of the latest changes on road regulations to have a safe journey.
I don’t usually drive, but my husband is quite careful when preparing the car to our holiday journeys. Tires, MOT, lights and oil. Everything needs to be checked before reaching the motorway.
Here’s our essential road trip checklist for a car journey:
Table of Contents
Don’t skip the MOT
If you live in the UK and have a car that is three years old, you already know that it’s compulsory to go for a MOT test every 12 months. There is no secret. The test is done to check if your vehicle is roadworthy or not. If you are reaching the motorways soon on your holiday. MOT is a must-have procedure.
In case your car fails the test and goes under the “dangerous” category, the consequences of bringing this vehicle to the road can be very serious, ending up with a £2,500 fine and three points on your licence.
Meaning: we can’t skip MOTs.
Some people may not know it, but the MOT test has changed over the years. One of them is the check for any leak that may cause risk to the environment. Check this and other fundamental rules of the road here.
Make copies of your car documents
Can you imagine how annoying would be if lost the documents of the car while on the road? A simple measure to avoid it is taking copies of all documents and important papers to prevent big headaches. The same rule can be applied to a spare car key. No need to explain why.
Make your car pet-friendly
Four-legged members of the family can also be part of your road trip. However, being on the road can be a stressful exercise for animals in general. We have a cat, and it’s out of chance for us to take him on a road trip, of course.
But if you have a dog, it’s important to consider making your car pet-friendly with well-ventilated vehicles, plenty of food and water available, papers and entertaining toys. Never leave your pet in a car park, especially when travelling during warm days.
Check Tyres Pressures
I know nothing about cars, but owning one is enough reason to understand that safety checks are the most important procedures that you can make on your car.
The regular maintenance of your tyres can save lives. Besides, the laws are quite strict when it comes to car safety policies, as you know.
Emergency Kit
One of the most important things you can’t forget is your emergency kit. It doesn’t matter the time of the year, there are essential tools that could prevent and help you to deal with unpredictable situations on the road. Here’s what to take with you:
- Warning light, hazard triangle, flares
- First-aid kit
- Flashlight
- Extra battery
- Jumper cables
- Car fire extinguisher
Cover Photo by Drew Rae from Pexels
Nossa.
Tenha um bom dia!