3 Ways To Get Your Car Ready For A Road Trip - Easy To Follow Guide

Alivia Whitaker | July 30, 2018 @ 12:00 AM

Summer in America means the tradition of road tripping - but do you know how to get your car ready for a road trip?  Are you prepared for all eventualities?  It's less complicated than you think if you follow our easy guide below.

Get Your Car Ready For A Road Trip: Mechanical Preparation

The best defense is a good offense.  Follow the easy checklist below to make sure your car is mechanically prepared for your upcoming road trip.  If you have a mechanic you use regularly, they will often provide these services at a discount.  Otherwise, many tire and oil change places offer these car maintenance services at very reasonable prices.  Make sure you have the following done and updated before your next road trip:

  • Oil Change
  • Alignment
  • Tires Rotated

Get Your Car Ready For A Road Trip: Emergency Preparedness

Have you ever thought about emergency preparedness while on the road?  This is especially important if you'll be traveling in mountainous or rural areas with less access to emergency services.  Make sure you have items from the list below in your car before going on a long road trip.

  • 72 Hour Kit
    • These kits can be assembled yourself or purchased at an emergency supply store or online.  Basics that should be found in these kits include: water, temporary food rations, nasa blanket, flares and a first aid kit.  However, you can find many kits with more extended options than this.
  • Seatbelt Cutter
    • If you're involved in a wreck, go off the road or your car ends up in water, you'll want the small seat belt cutter tool on hand.  This small hand-held tool has a hidden blade that can be used to cut a seat belt in case of emergency.  Many times, people get trapped in their seat belts and cannot escape. This small tool can save your life.
  • Glass Breaker
    • A glass breaker is often included in a combined form with the seatbelt cutter.  It is simply a metal edge that can be used to break glass in case of an emergency in a car. This could allow you to escape through a window.
  • Jumper Cables
    • And of course, a basic but important aspect to roadside emergency preparedness is jumper cables.  You never know when you'll need them.  Or perhaps someone you see alongside the road could use your help.

Get Your Car Ready For A Road Trip: Roadside Assistance 

A great emergency preparedness options for road trips is to make sure you have some kind of roadside assistance set in place.  This can not only help with big emergencies, but many roadside assistance plans even have services to change tires or bring a stranded vehicle gas.

  • AAA
    • AAA is a tried and true classic option for roadside assistance.  It is an especially smart option if you're an avid road tripper or drive a lot for work.  Their affordable plans start out around $60 and will more than pay themselves off with one service. AAA roadside assistance offers towing, tire changes and more.
  • Insurance Roadside Assistance 
    • Your auto insurance plan may offer some kind of included or affordable roadside assistance plan.  Before paying for an additional plan, contact your auto insurance and see what's included.  You want to be careful though, because many plans have a cap on services such as towing and you could exceed your plan and end up paying for services if you're not careful.

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