3 Tips for Traveling Long Distance By Car

There’s nothing like taking a road trip across the U.S. or whatever country you live in. Of course, it’s easier if you have more than one person with you to share the driving. If you’re taking a road trip by yourself, make sure you stop at rest stops or stay over at a hotel or motel. You don’t want to drive while you’re tired because you’ll put yourself and other drivers in jeopardy. Hanging out at rest stops can be an adventure in and of itself — you never know who you’ll meet!

3 Tips for Traveling Long Distance By Car

Get your car inspected before you leave. Make sure your car is safe to drive. How are the brakes? What about the shocks, struts, and absorbers? Does the heater and air conditioner work? If you have a convertible, can you put the top up and down? How’s the oil? How old is the battery? What about the brake and power steering fluid? How old are the spark plugs? What about the belts? Your car needs to be in ‘tip top’ shape if you want to travel long distance. Take it to a reputable auto mechanic and make sure you ask to see the ‘old parts’ if parts are to be replaced.

Buy snacks and water before you leave. Not only will you need to put fuel in your car, you’ll need to put fuel aka food into your body. Bring healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables, peanuts, power bars (make sure they’re healthy), granola, trail mix, and other nutritious foods to eat. Buy jugs of bottled water and reusable water bottles. Avoid energy drinks and sodas because they’re filled with sugar and you may ‘crash’ if you drink too much. You need to be alert when you travel for a long distance but you don’t want to be jittery! Consider bringing flavored water that doesn’t contain a lot of sugar and other chemicals. Of course, plain H2O is always the best option.

Bring extra oil, windshield washer solution, anti-freeze, jumper cables, and other important resources for your car. Buy a crate or two and fill them with the following items: oil, power steering fluid, brake fluid, windshield washer solution, anti-freeze, jumper cables, a funnel, rags, snow scraper, and fix-a-flat. It’s important to have these items in case you need them. You’ll also want to have a tire gauge to make sure you have enough air in your tires. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to have these items in your car when you drive in general.

Traveling long distance by car can be quite an adventure — make sure you’re prepared for it. Buy a couple of maps and a GPS if you’re not too good at reading a map. However, it’s a good idea to know how to read maps. If you’re traveling by yourself, take plenty of breaks and stretch your legs. Traveling a long distance can put wear and tear on your body. Allow yourself the proper amount of rest. Remember, it’s about the journey not about the destination. Have fun and be safe!