Summer is probably one of the best times of the year to take a road trip; most places are fairly warm, and inclement weather is rarer. However, there are a few safety precautions you should take before getting on the road. Here are our top tips for making your road trip a safe one.
Take Your Car to a Mechanic
The first and most important step before embarking on your journey is to get your vehicle tuned up. You want to be sure your engine, transmission, air conditioner, and tires are in peak condition before you head out. If you haven’t taken your car to a mechanic in a while and you don’t get it checked out before the road trip, you’re taking a huge risk by putting a lot of strain on a car that may not be in the best working condition. Make sure your cooling system for the engine is also functioning as best as it can because the summer heat will not be doing your engine or transmission any favors.
Change Your Tires
You may not encounter a lot of rain on your trip, but just in case you visit a state with a high incidence of summer rain, you want to ensure your tires can break properly without skidding on a slick surface. Bald tires won’t do you much good on your trip and are more likely to wind up flat if you strike a stray nail or rock in the road.
Keep a Spare and a Patching Kit
When you replace your tires, make sure you have a good backup in the truck just in case your new tire does spring a leak. If you know how to patch a tire yourself, it can be handy to keep a patching kit in the back with the spare tire.
Buy Some Maps
If you’ve ever spent time searching for an elusive phone signal, you know reception is not always the best. If your navigation fails, keep a map or two of your journey handy in case you have to go old school with your directions.
Emergency Kit
It never hurts to be over-prepared. In the case of a disaster, you want to make sure you have a basic emergency kit ready to go. These kits include flashlights, blankets, a first aid kit, and necessary tools. Including nonperishable snacks, such as canned food, granola bars, and water, is also an excellent idea.
Keep a Charger
Sometimes people will neglect to bring a phone charger on a long trip, which can be a huge problem. If you’re using your phone as a navigation tool, it’s also important to keep it fully charged. Having a backup cable and portable charger in your car can save you a lot of trouble later, particularly if you’re in the wilderness. Solar portable chargers are also available for purchase, which will keep your device fully charged in the sunlight.
Keep safe out there this summer. However, if you or a loved one are injured in a car crash through the negligence or carelessness of another, talk to our skilled Wichita personal injury attorneys at Hutton & Hutton Law Firm, LLC. We have more than 30 years of legal experience to offer your case. Let us see what we can do for you in a free case consultation.
Contact us at (316) 688-1166or fill out our online form to get your case started today!