How to Prepare your Car for Summer Road Trips

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sam’s Club . All opinions are 100% mine.

Summer is here and for many of you that will mean a road trip is in your future. Is your car ready for your next road trip?

There are some essential safety precautions that you should always take before heading out on the road. The last thing you want when traveling with kids is to find yourself dealing with car problems.

I learned my lesson years ago before heading out on a family trip. We were ready to hit the road when the tire pressure warning light came on in my van. We figured it was a quick fix so we swung by the tire shop to check it out and discovered that one of my tires had a huge crack in it.

It was so frustrating to have our trip delayed, especially since we were all loaded up in the car and ready to go, but I’m so glad we did it. We would have been putting our entire family at risk if we had driven on that tire.

Since then I’ve learned there are some basic safety checks you have to do on your car before heading out on a road trip.

Here are a few of the most important safety checks to do on your car before a road trip:

Get an Oil Change

When is the last time your car had an oil change? Most manufactures recommend that you change the oil about every 5,000 miles so if you are going on a long road trip there’s a strong possibility it will push you over that 5,000 mile mark.

Maintaining your car and getting it checked out every so often will help minimize the chance that you’ll break down . . . definitely not something you want to do when you are driving out in the middle of nowhere.

Check your Tires

Your tires need to be in good shape before you head out on a road trip. If your tires need to be replaced or have any issues, you could be risking a blowout. At freeway speeds that can be terrifying.

Don’t forget to check your spare tire to be sure that it is in good shape. You’ll be glad you did if you end up needing it.

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Get $70 off on any set of 4 new Michelin passenger or light truck tires (ends July 3, 2016)
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If you go with Sam’s Club Tire Installation Package* you get all the following benefits and services for as long as you are an active member of Sam’s Club:

Tire Mounting
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A Value Stem
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* Complete terms and conditions of all Sam’s Club warranties and services can be obtained at any Sam’s Club Tire and Battery Center location

I know how painful it can be to replace tires when you are on a tight budget but driving on worn out tires is not something you want to mess around with.

Clean your Car out

Cleaning your car out may not seem like a safety issue but if you have loose objects floating around your car, and rolling around on the floor, those can be a major risk in an accident or even if you have to slam on the breaks quickly.

I witnessed an accident years ago that was caused by a water bottle rolling under the break pedal. This poor young driver had gone to slam on the breaks and couldn’t push the pedal down. It was a terrifying experience for her and a good reminder to me that a clutter-free car is much safer.

Once you clean your car out, add a travel-sized trash container so that any snack containers or other trash stays in one place while you are traveling.

Pack for an Emergency

Hopefully your trip will go according to plan, but if it doesn’t you need to be prepared. Have a basic first aid kit in your car, plenty of water bottles, and a few snacks.

If you run out of gas or run into any other issues, you’ll be glad you planned ahead. Don’t overpack, but make sure you have the basics covered just in case.

Check your lights

We often don’t know if we have a headlight or taillight out on our own car unless someone tells us. Headlights are a little more obvious but we don’t often notice a burnt out taillight unless someone says something to us.

Before heading out on a trip, be sure and check all your lights. This is a two person job since you’ll need someone to tap the break pedal and make sure everything works. If you are doing any nighttime driving, working lights are essential.

How to Prepare your Car for Summer Road Trips