When it comes to traveling and seeing the world around you, there’s nothing better than hopping in your car and taking to the open road. If you really think about it, part of the joy of road trips is experiencing the unexpected… The unexpected could be the views of a gorgeous lake, stopping to see the world’s biggest ball of chewed up bubble gum, or stopping at a diner and eating in the same booth that Elvis Presley ate at… the point is, road trips are full of adventure and unexpected surprises!
Now, the above mentioned are pleasant surprises… meaning that they’re surprises that you weren’t expecting to get but you’re glad you got to experience them anyway. On the flip side, there are also those not so pleasant surprises that you can experience on road trips that are absolute killjoys… At times it can seem like anything that could go wrong will go wrong. That reason alone is why it’s so important to have a road trip checklist before any road trip to help prevent any mishaps that could potentially happen.
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What to Check Before You Get on the Road
It’s so easy to get overly excited about your road trip and immediately just hop on the road and go but you never want to get on the road without first making sure your car is road trip ready. Ensuring that your car is road trip ready means that you need to get a few things checked out first, such as:
- Making sure there’s enough air in your tires
- Getting your oil changed if it’s not up-to-date
- Having your brakes looked at
- Making sure your car tags are current
- Making sure your car insurance is current
- Checking your anti-freeze levels to make sure you have air conditioning (a road trip can be unbearable without air conditioning, especially during the summer months)
Safety always comes first when it comes to traveling period but it’s especially important for road trips. You want to be able to enjoy your road trip from the start of your trip to returning home from your trip and in doing that, it means taking all the necessary safety precautions.
In taking all the necessary safety precautions, that also means that you will need to be aware of all the mishaps that could happen while on the road. Take a look at the biggest road trip blunders that can really ruin your road trip if you’re not prepared for it.
Blunder #1: Traffic Tickets
Traffic tickets have to be the worst road trip blunder ever. No, it’s not worse than a car accident or anything like that… it’s the worst because traffic tickets are totally preventable. Meaning, if you get a traffic ticket while on your road trip, it’s more than likely your fault that you got one.
According to tickethelp.com, the most common type of traffic ticket is speeding tickets, especially for new drivers. Whether you’re late to work or the road is free of cars and you just want to see what your car can really do, you’re messing around with fire. You need to be aware of your surroundings at all costs because not doing so can cost you!
You might be speeding and not notice the police beside roadside bushes or the police motorcycle that’s discreetly hidden behind a billboard… you try to hit your brakes as soon as you notice them but by that time, it’s too late… the police are already flashing those red and blue lights for you to pull over.
At that moment, it will be time for you to consider a traffic ticket lawyer. That ticket will add points to your driving record but hiring traffic ticket attorneys will help you maintain a clean driving record.
Blunder #2: Car Accident
So, getting into a car accident is way worse than getting a speeding ticket, obviously. Car accidents aren’t always preventable like traffic tickets are. You might be following all the rules of the road like you’re supposed to but just because you’re being a good driver, doesn’t mean that everyone else on the road will be a good driver too; you can’t control what other people do on the road but you can control what you do, just be aware of the other drivers around you.
Blunder #3: Car Troubles
Car troubles are something that’s half and half. You initially can prevent car troubles by getting your car checked out and having that road trip checklist but you have no control over what you encounter while on a road trip. Factors such as debris or nails on the road can cause flat tires, you lock your keys in the car, or if a deer jumps out in front of your car, it can cause damage under your hood; you just never know. That’s why it’s so important to have car insurance on your car just in case of car troubles like those.
