This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA). All opinions are 100% mine.
Like many others, my car has sat virtually unused for the last eight+ weeks. It’s strange not to be in my car daily driving my family here and there, but soon we will get back to activities and once again hit the open road. I can’t wait to take a trip to the beach. I’m ready, but is my car? Before you get back on the road, be sure your car is ready with this Road Trip Car Maintenance Checklist printable.
Road Trip Car Care
It is always important to give your car a good once over before getting on the road for a trip. One sure way to ruin a fun road trip is having your car breakdown and having to spend precious vacation time on repairs. But this summer it is more important than ever. Things like tire pressure and oil levels can be affected by sitting with nonuse, so if your car has been sitting unused, now’s the time to make sure it is ready to go when you are.
The U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants Americans to know about road safety, particularly in the summer and winter, and encourages them to take precautionary steps before traveling. These summer driving tips include getting your car serviced, checking for vehicle safety recalls, reviewing the vehicle safety checklist, and packing an emergency roadside kit. Many of the tips on the road trip car maintenance checklist below come directly from the NHTSA.
Road Trip Car Maintenance Checklist
I love a good checklist. I make them for everything, so a checklist to make sure my car is ready for a road trip is only natural. After reviewing all of the National Highway Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) tips and adding a few of my own, I created a checklist for my family to help make sure our car is in tip-top shape when we are ready for our road trip.
Not just for when your car has been sitting for weeks, this checklist is a good reminder for anytime you plan to take your car out of your regular routine. Unexpected car maintenance is a hassle on a normal day, but it is a giant headache when you are traveling. Take the steps now so you don’t have to find somewhere to take your car for issues on vacay.
Download the printable road trip car maintenance checklist HERE.
Of course, even the most well-maintained car can breakdown and have issues (or worse, get in an accident), so you should also make sure that your roadside emergency kit is well-stocked with everything you might need.
For example:
- Cell phone and charger
- First aid kit
- Flashlight
- Flares and a white flag
- Jumper cables
- Tire pressure gauge
- Jack (and ground mat) for changing a tire
- Work gloves and a change of clothes
- Basic repair tools and some duct tape (for temporarily repairing a hose leak)
- Water and paper towels for cleaning up
- Nonperishable food, drinking water and medicines
- Extra windshield washer fluid
- Maps
- Emergency blankets, towels and coats
Where do you plan to go this summer? Will you visit somewhere local for day trips or head out cross-country to see the US? Wherever the road takes you, make sure you are prepared for anything and have a great time.
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