5 Must-Do's to Prepare for this Summer's Road Trip

Here in the United States, we live in a country that changes drastically with every state. Within a day you can go from beaches to rolling farmlands and onto towering mountains with hidden creeks and gushing waterfalls. There are small towns to explore and big cities to get lost in. But whichever way your GPS takes you, before you hit the gas pedal for this upcoming summer road trip, be sure you are properly prepared with the following must-dos:

1. Respect the oil

It's rather incredible how much use and abuse modern vehicles can take. These are stalwart objects that have been designed to operate in all sorts of temperatures and road conditions. However, no matter how great your vehicle's design and build, it relies upon one essential component: oil. Your vehicle consumes oil and requires it to lubricate essential engine components to ensure proper operations. Because of the criticalness of this job, it's a good idea to change your vehicle's oil and oil filter shortly before you leave for your road trip even if it's not quite due for a change.

2. Inspect your other fluids, bring coolant

The cooling system in a vehicle isn't just for occupant comfort. This is an essential system that ensures the engine is kept cool enough to run so that it won't seize up on the driver. When you take your vehicle for an oil change, also ask the mechanic to inspect your vehicle's other fluid levels. It's also a good idea to purchase a separate bottle of coolant and keep it in the trunk of your car during long distance drives in hot weather conditions. During your road trip, periodically check the coolant reservoir at the front of your vehicle's engine and add coolant should levels ever fall below the halfway mark.

3. Inspect your tires

Control of your vehicle begins with your tires. These four wheels of rubber are the only parts of the car that make physical contact with the road and as such need proper traction to ensure drivers can operate the vehicle safely and in a controlled manner. Vehicles with bald tires can't grip the road properly and are thus at risk for spinning the vehicle out of control if they hit slick spots or uneven pavement. Inspect your tires for tread and replace if necessary.

4. Pack up on the sound materials

It's the rare person that enjoys complete silence in their vehicle for a multi-day road trip. Before you head out on the road, talk to the other people who are traveling with you and make a plan for the type of things you might want to listen to. That might be an audiobook you've all been wanting to read, a podcast series you're ready to binge on, or mixed music playlists that combines everyone's' favorite songs.

5. Check your insurance

This is particularly important if you're going over state or even crossing the Canadian or Mexican border. This is because different places have different rules on insurance and who is or isn't covered. Check your insurance to ensure things like your other drivers are covered and, if they aren't, consider calling around for more comprehensive insurance and cheap auto insurance quotes that will allow both you and your other drivers to be covered in the case of an accident or collision.

And there you have it! Our list of the 5 absolute must-dos before you pack up the car and head on out to the destination of your summer road-trip dreams. Don't forget to pack all the snacks!