Need-to-Know Road Trip Safety Tips

Summer’s here, and that means that it’s road trip season! Before embarking on your adventure, there are some things you should know to ensure your safety and the safety of your passengers. There’s no reason to let a freak safety issue ruin an awesome road trip!
What Should Be in My Safety Kit?
The first thing you should make you sure you have in your car before leaving for your trip is a safety kit. Your safety kit will consist of many helpful items, all which will be useful in any roadside crisis. Some simple items that you should include in your kit are a fully stocked first aid kit, bottles of water, a flashlight with extra batteries, a blanket, flares, jumper cables, and a cell phone charger or a fully charged cell phone battery. These items will all come in handy during a breakdown, flat tire, car accident, and many other surprise situations.
Skills to Brush up On
Before hitting the road, you should always get an auto tune up, but there are some skills that you need to brush up on, yourself. A skill that every roadtripper should know is how to check your tire pressure and how to change it if it pops. Having this knowledge could possibly save your life, and will absolutely save you a lot of money. Roadside assistance for a popped tire can be very pricey, so why not take a few minutes to learn a skill that you can use for the rest of your life. Some other important maintenance skills to brush up on are changing your vehicle's windshield wiper fluid, your wiper blades and your vehicle's oil.
Weight Distribution is Key
Keeping heavy items low and secured can be a lifesaver during an accident. If heavy items are packed loosely and carelessly, they can be shot forward and severely injure you, or the passengers of your car. If you can, store your heavy items in your trunk to make sure they are secure. Having extra weight in your trunk also improves your vehicle's traction which will keep you safe if you encounter any unexpected rainstorms or loose gravel roads during your drive.
Have a Plan
Before leaving your driveway, it’s always smart to have your whole trip planned out. With a plan at hand, you won’t have to scramble to make last minute decisions while driving. Knowing where you’re going at all times will stop you from swerving across lanes to make an exit or performing any other unsafe maneuvers in your car. Also, having a plan will get you to your destination faster and in an efficient manner.