Tips for a Safe Car Trip this Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is just 3 days away, and while some people enjoy throwing family and friends get-togethers, others enjoy traveling and visiting loved ones. If you’re the latter and plan on taking a road trip this holiday, then you should definitely take precautions with your car to ensure that you and your family have a safe car trip. Here are some helpful tips to remember:
Check the Tire Pressure
What’s the very first most common thing that comes to any person’s mind right before they go on really long road trips? Checking the tire pressure, of course! No one wants to pile a bunch of heavy suitcases in the back of their trunk and drive across the country on flimsy tires. That could end up wasting so much of your time on the road and make the vacation stressful. Thus, in order to have a smooth ride, examine your car’s tires the day before your trip and the very same hour that you’re going to take off on your Thanksgiving getaway. If you notice low tire pressure, there are gas stations that fill your tires for free.
Check Your Headlights and Backlights
Another really important way to ensure that you have a safe car trip this Thanksgiving is to check your car’s headlights and backlights before you go on your road trip. It would be truly annoying if you took off during daylight hours only to realize several hours later when it’s dark that you can’t see clearly due to some blown out headlights. Plus, it doesn’t take more than five minutes to know whether your lights need replacement or not.
Test Your Car Battery
This might be a little bit trickier to do than the abovementioned tips, but testing your car battery is just as necessary before a long drive. There are a couple of ways you can find out if the car battery is in a good condition or not. Here’s a video that should help you out:
Keeping Your Car Clean
Our most favorite tip. Let’s not forget the importance of a clean car. After all, if there’s mud and grime all over the doors and car glass, you’d be stuck in a dirty ride all the way to your vacation destination. This will lead to bad odor and possibly light glares that’ll make your driving all the more uncomfortable and dangerous. Thus, in order to keep your driving visibility up to par, be sure to get your car washed before the trip. Give your windshields extra attention so that you have a safe road trip.
Keep a First-Aid Kit in Your Trunk
Even if you’re careful, sometimes things go wrong. In the slim chance that you get into a minor car accident or get an unthreatening pain from a headache or a slight cut, you’ll be prepared. So, create a first-aid kit and place it in your trunk for safekeeping. In the kit, include items such as Band-Aids, Advil, Neosporin (for minor cuts, scrapes, and burns), Benadryl (in case of allergic reactions), and even Pepto-Bismol (for an upset stomach).
Join a Roadside Service
Lastly, it’s always good to have Roadside service in case your car breaks down and needs to be tolled. Knowing you have such a service can help you feel at ease wherever you are traveling to, even if you are outside your city and state.
Having a safe road trip this Thanksgiving is all about taking precautions and making sure that your car is up for the long trip. Following these tips should help you feel confident and allow you to be in safe hands on the road. So enjoy your road trip, drive carefully, and have a happy Thanksgiving!
