By: Mark Rowe
Submitted: 2010-08-13 12:07:24 | Word Count: 647
Summer driving for a vacation is sure to be enjoyable if there is no stress and other snags in the horizon. Before heading off consider the following tips for traveling.
Use all season or summer tires and put away the ones for winter. The pressure on a typical tire usually loses one pound of it monthly so do check the tires before leaving. Proper tire inflation is critical to achieving the best possible contact between the tire and the road and avoiding blowouts and tread separation.
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See to the fluids as well. Never leave without first checking the oil. Read the manual that came with your car to find out the oil recommendations of the car maker. Take a look under the hood and inside the radiator to see about the antifreeze and coolant mix. Whether you have warm or cold weather you can have the temperature optimally regulated by hitting the ideal 50 to 50 coolant to water ratio.
Survey the other sections of the car. Ask a mechanic to inspect the hoses and belts before taking the trip. The lifespan of a typical wiper blade is one year so go see if yours is still performing efficiently. Finally, check the battery and if yours is more than 3 years old, have it tested at a certified automotive repair facility.
It would help if you had an emergency kit in the vehicle at all times. Put in the trunk everything from a flashlight to a first aid kit to jumper cables to flares and a blanket or mat to protect clothes in case tires need changing. It would also help to bring spare washer fluid and a bit of non perishable food plus some water and gloves or paper towels and clothes along with car tools like pliers and wrenches as well as screwdrivers.
Many are guilty of stuffing the car with almost all the house contents when preparing for a road trip. Limit items to bring to just the essentials. What is the use of bringing shampoo when the hotel has some available? Nine pairs of shorts is not really necessary given that there is a washer dryer where you are going.
You have to be able to see the road while driving so avoid packing items one on top of another that you end up with zero road visibility. Placing the heaviest items at or near the truck center will make moving them easier but for what is left of the load try distributing them evenly all over the vehicle.
Drowsy driving contributes considerably to current road mishap statistics. The hours long drive will prove less tiring if you got to sleep fitfully before the actual day of the drive. Beware of caffeine containing coffee as the buzz does not last and you soon are faced with a dopy feeling. Get some rest when you can by switching drivers if possible and stopping repeatedly. The small bladder is indirectly responsible for the dip in road fatigue risks because it forces a person to frequently stop to urinate.
Interstate accidents come about usually because someone on the road finally had it with the sleep deprivation and the yelling kids plus the exhaustion. Word to the wise keep your cool. Never tailgate and use car signals as for speedy drivers let them drive ahead of you. Getting along is the secret to making the roads friendlier and safer. These travel tips will undoubtedly help when it comes time to pull out the driveway for the ultimate summer road trip.
