Everyone loves a good road trip. There’s just something exciting about going on a trip. From spending hours on the road and having quality time with your family and friends, you can enjoy also the scenery as the car passes by.
However, bad preparation might turn your joyride into a major stress event. It is essential to have everything ready and prepared to avoid any unwanted scenarios from happening, which means ruining the fun. So, before you embark on your journey, use these road trip tips to make the most of your trip.
Get Your Vehicle Cleaned Up
A clean car makes your driving experience more pleasant. Discard the old garbage or trash from your vehicle, such as old food wrappers, cups, or receipts. Remove everything you don’t need from your trunk as you could probably use a lot of room for baggage and maybe mementos you might acquire during the trip.
Before starting your journey, vacuum any scraps and debris from your floor mats. It would be best to wipe down all the surfaces in your car with a cleaning cloth, including your dashboard, steering wheel, and cup holders.
Check-up Your Car Thoroughly
You should always check your oil, brake, gearbox, wiper, tyre pressure, and treads, before going on a long trip. Bring your car to a mechanic to have everything checked, lest anything that may cause problems in the long run. Make sure that your spare tyre is properly inflated. You should also ensure that you have additional wiper fluid and jumper wires available, just in case your car decides to act out during the journey.
Plan Your Routes Beforehand
Whilst a last-minute trip might be thrilling and entertaining, you might want to postpone that sort of impulsive decision. Put a lot of forethought and planning into your vacation to have a fun and safe experience. Try to pin or write down several locations where you can stop and rest, fill in your tank, grab something to eat, use the restroom, and spend the time outside. There are many apps that can assist you in finding these locations just by downloading them on your smartphone.
Make Sure All Essentials Have Been Packed
Keep in mind that you have everything you need for the journey, from clothes to toiletries. Make sure your clothes are also wrinkle-free and you can mix and match them during the trip. It is best to bring only two pairs of shoes, one of which should be flip flops, though it depends on where you’re heading. Do not forget to pack extra blankets and travel pillows for everyone, too. In addition, if you’re planning to do some work when you reach your destination, then bring along your laptop. Keep it in a thick and padded laptop sleeve to avoid getting bumped with your other luggage or you can put it in a wheeled laptop bag so you can easily get it when you need it.
As for documents, be sure you have travel insurance and store all your travelling documents in a waterproof bag. To be safe, make a copy, keep it in another compartment, and have the scanned document in your e-mail.
Have Your Seat Well Adjusted
You’ll be driving for quite a while, so it’s necessary to have the seat well-adjusted according to your comfort. Alter the seat height so that your hips are just above your knees. You should also lay a cushion or a wrapped towel under your lower back if you have the bucket seats.
The steering wheel should also be near enough so that your elbows do not lock when you grab it. After you’re comfortable with your seat arrangements, position all three of your mirrors accordingly so you can glance at them without having to crane your neck.