There is no way to prevent an accident from happening. If there were, then we probably wouldn’t need air bags or seat belts. There are, however, ways to help avoid accidents and be prepared in case one happens. Taking a few moments to make some important safety checks before piling into the car and heading to grandma’s for Thanksgiving can potentially save a holiday.
Don’t Wait Until You Return to Service Your Car
Have you been ignoring your service engine light? If so, take it into the shop and get it serviced before you take your trip. No one likes to look down at the dashboard to see this on, but this means that your car needs attention. By getting it taken care of, you could avoid a breakdown or accident and give yourself some peace of mind.
Been a while since your last oil change? Don’t wait until you get back to take care of it. With all of the oil change centers offering their services within 30 minutes and at a pretty cheap price, spending your lunch at a lube shop could turn out to be a great decision.
Also, when you get your car serviced, many service centers will “top off” your fluids. If they don’t, ask how much it would cost, which usually isn’t much. That way, your car’s transmission and brake fluids will be topped off, as well as the antifreeze. You’ll be glad you took this precaution, especially if grandma lives in colder climates.
Give Your Car a Safety Check
We may not take the time to inspect our car’s tires every morning when we head out to work or start running errands, but it’s a good idea to give them a once-over before heading out on a family road trip.
Little things that we may ignore and get away with during our 20-minute daily drives may turn into trouble on those extended trips during the holidays.
Before hitting the road, make sure that your tire pressure is where it should be. You can usually find the recommended tire pressure or PSI (pressure per square inch) in the owner’s manual or on the factory sticker located on the driver’s door jamb. You could also do a quick Internet search. If you have aftermarket wheels with a different tire size than what’s factory equipped, you could check the tire manufacturer’s recommendation.
Don’t forget the spare. Usually, we don’t even remember that we have a spare tire until we are on the side of the road with a flat and trying to figure out how to use that jack that comes with the car. Take a minute to make sure the spare tire is in good condition and properly inflated before hitting the road.
Make sure your wiper blades are in good shape. If you live in a state like Arizona, you may not have much use for wiper blades and rarely use them, so you may assume that they are fine. However, these blades tend to crack and deteriorate when exposed to the sun for months at a time. The last thing you want is to drive into an area with rain or snow and see your wipers fall apart once you switch them on. Check the wiper fluid as well, and if you know you’ll be entering an area with cold winters, look into a washer fluid solution that won’t freeze.
Test your battery, especially if it’s over 3 years old. Most auto parts stores will offer to test your battery for free. Having a dead battery is bad, but having a dead battery on a road trip and having to pay a gas station clerk an inflated price for a replacement is worse.
Also, make sure your battery has a good, tight connection to the engine and that there’s no corrosion. You don’t want to be on the side of the road in freezing temperatures simply because of loose battery terminals.
Prepare an Emergency Roadside Kit
Simple things that you keep in your trunk can make a breakdown less of a headache and could even get you out of a jam. Try to take these items with you on your trip:
If you’re broken down on the side of the road and in the middle of a storm, it may take a while for help to come once you’ve called for assistance. Having some food, drinking water, and something like a blanket to warm you up can make the wait much easier.
Talk to Your Insurer
Drivers may want to talk to their auto insurance agents when preparing for a long road trip. Most insurance carriers offer optional coverages that can be helpful during trips and at a fairly cheap rate to policyholders.
If you purchase emergency roadside service from you carrier, they will reimburse you for the fair cost of towing or having your car jump-started. This option can also pay for a flat-tire repair or locksmith services.
Policyholders often have the choice to purchase rental reimbursement and travel expenses coverage. With rental reimbursement, the policyholder will be paid back for the cost to rent a vehicle if they are involved in an accident and their car needs to be repaired. Travel expenses will pay for food and lodging if it’s needed while the insured vehicle is in the shop. Both coverages come with a set allowance that is determined at the time of purchase.
It may seem like a lot of preparation to think about in the middle of the holiday season, but you don’t want small little mishaps keeping you from enjoying your turkey and the extended weekend.
