Are we there yet? A long road trip can be a marathon for both your family and your car. Before you hit the road, a little planning and a few vehicle safety checks can help reduce the risk of breakdowns and keep everyone safer along the way. Here’s how to get your car—and your family—ready for the miles ahead.
Get Your Car Road Trip Ready
Start by catching up on routine maintenance, such as tire rotations, fluid checks, and oil changes. Replace spark plugs and wiper blades as needed. If your annual Virginia safety inspection is coming due, consider scheduling it before your trip so you have time to address any issues with your brakes, headlights, or other safety equipment before you hit the road.
You can also use this checklist to check your car at home before your trip:
- Inspect belts and hoses. With the engine off and cool, look for bulges, blisters, cracks, or cuts. Heat can speed up wear on rubber parts. Have damaged belts or hoses replaced and loose connections checked before your trip.
- Check the coolant. When the engine is completely cool, check the coolant reservoir against its marked levels. Never remove the radiator cap while the engine is hot. If coolant is low, have a mechanic check for leaks and recommend any needed service.
- Check other fluids. Follow your owner’s manual to check brake, transmission, clutch, and power steering fluids, where applicable. Keep levels within the recommended ranges, and have leaks or unexplained drops checked by a mechanic.
- Test your air conditioning. Make sure your A/C cools the cabin before you leave. If the air isn’t cold or airflow is weak, have a technician diagnose the problem rather than simply adding refrigerant.
- Have your battery tested. A battery test can help identify a weak battery before it leaves you stranded. Check with a local auto parts store or repair shop about testing services, and have loose or corroded connections addressed.
- Check washer fluid and wiper blades. Top off your windshield washer fluid. Replace blades that leave streaks, skip, or fail to clear the glass.
- Test your lights. Ask someone to help you check headlights, brake lights, turn signals, emergency flashers, and interior lights. If you’re towing a trailer, check its brake lights and turn signals, too.
You’ve got a lot riding on your tires—especially on a long road trip.
Here is a checklist to ensure your tires will be reliable on your trip:
- Check your tread. Tire tread should be at least 2/32 of an inch or greater on all tires. Use the penny test to determine when it’s time to replace your tires. Place a penny in the tread with Lincoln's head upside down. Your vehicle needs new tires if you can see the top of Lincoln's head.
- Rotate your tires. If you haven't recently rotated your tires, rotate and see if your wheels need to be aligned before you travel.
- Check the air pressure in your tires when your tires are cold and look for indications of damage, such as bulges and areas of uneven wear. Even a nail head or other sharp object could be plugging a slow leak and lead to a flat on the road. Add air if needed.
- Check each tire’s age. Vehicle manufacturers often recommend replacing tires every six years, regardless of mileage.
- Check the tire pressure in your spare tire. If you have a flat, you'll need a dependable backup!
Check for Recalls
If your car has a serious safety issue, you don't want to find out about that while you're traveling. Instead, use NHTSA's Recalls Look-up Tool to make sure your car is free of recalls or gets the free needed remedy available.
Restock Your Emergency Roadside Kit
Pack a roadside emergency kit to help you handle unexpected delays or a breakdown, especially if you lose cell service and can’t call for help right away.
Roadside Emergency Kit Checklist
Before your trip, restock anything you’ve used and replace expired or damaged items.
- First aid kit
- Blanket
- Flares or triangle reflectors
- Jumper cables
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Extra phone charging cable
- Plenty of water, protein bars, and healthy snacks
- Tire pressure gauge
- Work gloves and a change of clothes
- Basic repair tools and some duct tape
- A paper map as a backup if your phone loses service or runs out of battery
Travel Safely
Buckle Up. Every trip, every time. Everyone in your vehicle should be buckled up in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats, or seat belts. See NHTSA’s child passenger safety recommendations to find the right seat for your child’s age and size.
Here are a few more safety reminders:
- Remember, all children age 13 and under should always ride correctly buckled in the back seat of the car.
- Remember to always check the back seat before you leave the car.
- Never leave your children or pets unattended in or around a vehicle.
- Never allow passengers to ride with their feet on the dashboard. This is extremely dangerous if you experience a crash and your car's airbag deploys.
- When using a backup camera, look for kids, pets, and objects that may be out of view but still in the path of your vehicle. As the size and height of vehicles increase, “blind zone” areas do as well.
- Remember Virginia's Hands-Free Law. Do not text or drive distracted.
- Always drive sober. It is illegal to drive impaired by any substance in all states – no exceptions.
- Use the left lane on major highways for passing, not cruising.
- Take regular breaks from driving. Long trips should include time to stop to stretch, get something to eat, return calls or text messages, and change drivers or rest if you feel drowsy.
Plan Your Route
Familiarize yourself with directions and maps before you go, even if you use a GPS. Check the weather, road conditions, and traffic before you go. Allow plenty of time to get to your destination safely and don't rush. Let loved ones know your route and anticipated arrival time. While traveling in Virginia, the Virginia Department of Transportation has excellent resources. The Virginia 511 Information System provides the latest traffic and road conditions by phone, website, and app.
Make Use of Virginia Travel Resources and Roadside Assistance
The VDOT Safety Patrol provides free-of-charge services for interstate trouble, such as tire change assistance, fuel at the nearest gas station, jump starts, phone access, and directions. You also can call a tow truck or roadside assistance on your car insurance policy. Virginia State Police is active on Twitter: @VSPPIO and Facebook: @VirginiaStatePolice
Northern Neck Insurance Towing and Labor Coverage
Even with careful planning, unexpected car trouble can leave you needing a tow. If you get stranded or have a car insurance claim and you have Northern Neck car insurance, towing and labor coverage is an NNIC car insurance endorsement or added coverage that provides a reimbursement of up to $75 or $100 per towing occurrence. You may use the vendor of your choosing and submit a claim with your towing receipt on your online member account.
THE NORTHERN NECK INSURANCE INTEGRITY PROMISE — We pledge to provide straight talk and good counsel from our NNIC Virginia insurance experts through our blog. While we hope you find this to be a helpful source of information, it does not replace the guidance of a licensed insurance professional, nor does it modify the terms of your Northern Neck Insurance policy in any way. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy.
