Preparing for a Long Road Trip, In Four Easy Steps

Thanks to the relative difficulties involved in travelling abroad since the lifting of COVID-19 lockdowns, it’s been reported that nearly two-thirds of the UK population intend to spend their main holiday right here in the UK. With the boom in popularity of the ‘staycation’, more focus has been placed on the many attractive spots the UK has to offer – and with the reduced cost in comparison to international holidays, many are planning to see as much of them as possible, making a road trip of their UK holiday. Maybe you’re planning such a holiday, and you’re not quite sure you’ve got everything planned out; here are four simple steps to your preparation, to help you get road-ready for a big British adventure.

The Nuts and Bolts

Firstly, you’ll need to make sure that your car is in ship shape for the long hours of driving. Check your oil doesn’t need topping up or replacing; check the air pressure in your tyres, and their tread (put a 20p piece end-up in the tread near the middle – if you can see the outer band, your tyres need replacing!); and check your brakes and brake fluid. Your next questions should be: “where’s an MOT garage near me?” Your car may be overdue a service – and depending on the length of your road trip, there’s a chance your MOT could expire mid-trip.

Insurance Coverage

This should come part and parcel with your mechanical preparations; is your car insurance up to date? Even if it is, you may want to shop around for a better deal – and if you’re carrying a lot of supplies and personal effects, you may need to upgrade your coverage to include a larger value of contents, or courtesy car cover to ensure the trip doesn’t end due to an accident.

For Comfort

As romantic and exciting as long road trips can be, there’s no avoiding the fact that spending more than 90 minutes in your car at a time can get a little fidgety. So be sure to pack with comfort in mind. Don’t bother with inflatable travel pillows; bring the real thing, and blankets to keep passengers warm and cosy on longer drives, as well as safely warm in case of an overnight car sleep. Bring a phone charger with a cigarette lighter adaptor, for phone GPS purposes and to keep the music playing. Lastly, stock up on snacks! The less crumb-y the better, but crisps are an excellent road snack…

Just In Case…

There are always those last couple of things to make you feel that bit more at ease before setting off. Bring your car’s spare key, in case the worst happens and you get locked out in the middle of nowhere. Spare towels for the boot are also an excellent decision, as an easy way to clear your windscreen and headlights in wetter, mulchier weather.

Photo by Andreas Selter on Unsplash

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