road trip

 

What better way to spend your annual leave this summer than heading off on the road trip of a lifetime. Whether you are planning on exploring the UK, getting the ferry to France or Spain and exploring Europe, or traveling from music festival to music festival, it’s vital that you take road safety seriously.

 

Sure, summer holidays are about adventure and exploration; they’re about letting loose and having fun. However that doesn’t mean that safety shouldn’t come first – the last thing that you want is your once in a lifetime road trip tainted by a car accident or a damaged car. That’s why it’s vital that you take safety seriously and ensure that your travel buddies do too.

 

Book your car in for a service

 

It’s a smart move to get your car checked over before taking it off on the journey of a lifetime. Book your vehicle into your local garage for a service, to ensure that it’s in the best of health. Booking your car in for a service may eat into your travel money but if it means your trip is safer, surely it’s worth it? A vehicle that’s well looked after is more likely to run efficiently while you are traveling, so a service really is worthwhile. It may also be worth checking your car’s MOT expiry date, just to make sure that your vehicle is safe (and legal) to drive. Booking your car in for a service may eat into your travel money but if it means your trip is safer, surely it’s worth it? A vehicle that’s well looked after is more likely to run efficiently while you are traveling, so a service really is worthwhile.

 

Inspect your tyres

 

Before heading off, take the time to inspect your tyres. Measure the tread that they have on them, to ensure that they are legal, and then give them a general once over. Look out for tears or bulges. It’s also important to check your tyre pressures – you can use an air pressure machine at your local garage to do this. Wherever you are traveling to, make sure to research local garages in the area complete with their contact details, so that should your tyres suffer a puncture, tear, or begin to bulge while you’re on the road, you can get them fixed or replaced. Say you are planning on spending a couple of weeks exploring Scotland, you should know that tyre fitting in Stirling is offered at Fife Autocentre. Or, say you’re heading to Paris in France, you should know where all of the best autocentres are that offer tyre fitting and replacement. Wherever you are heading, it’s worth knowing where all the best garages are on route.

 

travel d

 

Pack smart

 

Each country has different road rules, so before heading off on your trip, it’s vital to research what they are. For example, in France every vehicle must carry a high visibility vest, a breathalyser kit, and a warning triangle to be placed in the road if a vehicle breaks down or is involved in an accident. You can get in serious trouble for not driving with the right kit in your car, so it’s worth taking the time to read up on the rules of the road for the countries that you are planning on visiting.

 

Take out adequate road recovery

 

Don’t get caught short abroad, take out roadside recovery that will cover you wherever you are. The last thing that you want is to breakdown in a foreign country and now be able to get your vehicle towed and fixed without having to pay a hefty price. Look into the best vehicle recovery policies for abroad, and choose the one that is the best fit for your vehicle, budget, and travel plans. It’s also worth calling your insurance provider to check that your policy will cover you abroad in the same way that it covers you at home.

 

Road trips can be a lot of fun and a great way to spend your annual leave from work. However, if you don’t take vehicle safety seriously or are clued up on driving in other parts of the world, you could end up in a sticky situation.