Five things on a road trip smoother!

Is the open road beckoning? We thought so. Here are five ways to make a road trip smoother…

If you cannot rely on your car, the smooth journey might go awry. A car breakdown is a common misfortune on the road. What would you do if your car conked in an unknown city, or in the middle of an unknown street, with nothing for miles?

Car maintenance is a preventive step. Your vehicle requires a year-round service schedule and this must cover all essential maintenance jobs so that your road trip does not become a tragedy. You can also do basic maintenance at home. For example:

• An essential duty is to check the expiry date of the battery of your car. Go for a replacement if it is over several years old. Make sure the electric battery charging mechanism works properly and the terminals are cleared of corrosion. If the starting sounds weak in the car sometimes, it might be because the battery is corroding or dying.

• Examine the pressure of tyres – As for tyre air pressure, ensure that they’re not over or under-inflated because it may lead to many problems, including premature wear, rough riding, overheating, or worse.

• Check the windshield washers, front and rear. See if your windshield cleaner is dispensing water equally on the front and the back windshield washer jets. You can adjust accordingly. When the jet sprays are blocked, change them correctly.

• Carrying a spare tyre is vital. It’s recommended to carry an inflated spare tyre with essential equipment to prevent getting stuck on the road with a flat tyre. Wear your work gloves to avoid any injuries on your hands.

• Components like flares, jumper cables, warm blankets, torches, first aid box and water should also be in your emergency pack. If not available, replenish all goods. Check your car insurance online, driving licence and car registration papers are all up to date.

• The condition of lights is important. You need to ensure proper visibility while driving, especially late at night and early morning hours. Make sure all of them work and replace if needed. Also replace the old, or worn-out wiper blades if they leave streaks, so that you can see clearly while there is rainfall, fog, precipitation, etc. Also, analyse the exterior and interior lighting accessories and change if there is any requirement.

Doing the above may take a little time but is well worth it, as these can throw a wrench in your adventure plan and render the journey a bumpy ride.