From what to bring on road trips to making appropriate car checks before a long journey, the following information will help ensure you and your passengers have a safe, fun, and relaxing driving holiday. Read our guide.
Taking a driving holiday in your own vehicle offers the freedom of the open road, the ability to stop off where and when you like, and the possibility of experiencing all manner of exciting attractions.
But if you're the one behind the wheel, the prospect of a long road journey can be daunting. Everything from navigation errors, to preventing fatigue and worrying about breakdowns can result in stress for everyone - but especially the driver.
However, by carefully planning your route and ensuring you have all you need for the trip, you can almost guarantee a fun time for all.
In this guide to planning a road trip, we'll provide useful road travel tips and advice to help you get the most from your next motoring adventure.
Pre-trip checks
When preparing for a road trip, it’s important to remember that some of your vehicle's components are more likely to fail than others. To ensure you have maximum peace of mind before you set off, be sure to check the following:
Tyre tread depth and pressure
Check all your tyres to ensure they have sufficient tread depth (1.6mm across the middle three quarters of the tread, around the tyre's full circumference). This could be especially important if you encounter bad weather while you're away. And while you should make these checks on a regular basis anyway, they are particularly important before driving long distances.
You should also ensure your tyres are pressurised to the level stipulated in your vehicle handbook. Too much pressure and you risk a blow out and increase the chance of aquaplaning; too little pressure and you'll be wasting fuel, and may experience steering and braking issues, plus premature tyre wear.
Lights
Ensure all your lights are working properly, inducing headlamps and indicators. Ask someone to stand behind your vehicle while you test the brake lights. Aside from being dangerous, faulty lights could result in a fine if noticed by the police.
Battery (12 volt)
Your battery should be in good working order. Look out for the battery symbol on your dashboard- it could mean there is a charging problem. If your battery isn’t in top condition, don’t chance a long trip until you've had it replaced. Batteries aged 5 years or more are more likely to fail, and should ideally be replaced.
Windscreen wipers
Noticed a smearing effect when using your wipers? If so, have new ones fitted before you begin your road trip. Driving with faulty wipers will force you to pull over in wet weather, adding delays to your journey.
Spend some time planning your route
Use a piece of reputable route planning software like Google Maps, Waze, or Bing Maps to prepare for your road trip. These apps include community-based traffic data, which means you can spot areas of congestion ahead of time, and re-plot your route as necessary. Connected maps are much better than using printed maps and relying on radio reports, just in case you’re one of the few drivers who have not embraced these powerful tools.
Plan regular stops
As the driver, it’s critical you don’t suffer fatigue during your trip. As such, aim to stop every couple of hours for about 15 minutes, especially when driving long distances when tiredness is more likely to set in.
Regular stops are important for:
- Preventing tiredness
- Giving passengers a chance to stretch their legs
- Stocking up on food and drink
- Toilet breaks
A break is also beneficial if you've just been through some heavy congestion or encountered a stressful situation on the road. So ensure your schedule allows for ad-hoc stops.
And consider planning more breaks if driving at night: your body clock will naturally feel more tired after the sun goes down.
Planning a road trip: Checklist
Some of these are essential in order to stay on the right side of the law, while others come highly recommended.
- Driving licence
- Insurance documents
- V5C logbook
- "UK" sticker - if you’re driving in mainland Europe, you'll need to display a UK sticker unless your number plates identify you as a UK driver. Note that the old "GB" stickers are no longer valid.
- Passport(s) - if driving abroad.
- International driving licence (IDP) - if driving in a country that requires one. Note that there are three types of IDP. Choose the correct one for your destination.
- First aid kit - useful for cuts, bruises and insect bites. Include plasters, bandages, iodine and painkillers like paracetamol.
- Jump leads - if your battery goes flat, jump leads can help you get going again (with a little help from another vehicle). However, use them in line with the instructions, as incorrectly connected jump leads can damage both vehicles.
- Portable phone charger - to ensure your phone doesn't run out of power and you can make important calls (think breakdowns or accidents).
- Warning triangle - it is mandatory to carry a warning triangle when driving in many countries (though not in the UK). If you break down, place the triangle at least 45 metres (147 feet) behind your vehicle on level ground. However, do not use a warning triangle on a motorway, since it is too dangerous.
- Snacks and water - it’s important to stay hydrated during your trip. Having a good selection of non-perishable snacks will also keep your energy levels up and help improve everyone's mood. Blood sugar fluctuations can impact all kinds of people (not only those suffering from conditions like diabetes). Bring water for pets, too.
- Medicine - if you or any of your passengers have a condition that requires medicine, double check you have a sufficient supply before you set off.
- Blankets and warm clothes - if you or your passengers need to get out into cold conditions, they'll be glad to have extra layers available. They may also come in handy if you break down and don't have heating in your vehicle.
- Sun Cream - protect your party's skin from sunburn by taking a high quality sunblock. The NHS recommends choosing a product with at least factor 30 SPF.
- Hats and sun-protecting clothes - these items also help protect skin from the harmful effects of the sun.
- Windscreen shade - for keeping your vehicle’s interior cool if you have to park in the sun.
- Entertainment - long road trips can get a little 'samey' - especially for younger travellers. Ensure you have a good supply of toys, games, or tablets loaded with movies and TV shows. Access to a wide range of music will also ensure everyone stays in the holiday spirit.
Road travel tips: Other things to consider
Roof box
If you and your passengers are bringing a lot of baggage, your boot capacity may prove insufficient. A roof box could be an effective solution and come in invarious sizes. However, be sure to remove the roof box when not required, since it can increase drag - and therefore fuel consumption.
Be ready for summer heat
Driving in high temperatures comes with its own set of problems. Most importantly, you and your passengers need effective ways of staying cool: wear loose, light-fitting garments, and bring plenty of drinks - ideally chilled or frozen. Consider bringing a small cooler box. Also ensure there’s water for any pets.
Make full use of your vehicle’s air-conditioning system, and if it's especially hot, aim to drive in the mornings and evenings when it's cooler. However, avoiding midday heat, rush hours, and late night driving can be a tall order, potentially leaving you with just a handful of hours to drive - but these factors are worth considering.
When you park up, aim for a shaded spot. If you can't find a shaded parking space, use a windscreen shade to keep the interior temperature down.
Entertainment: Road travel tips for driving with children
It’s not always easy taking a long road trip with children. Combat boredom and ‘the fidgets’ with a range of entertainment and games. You'll know what works best for your kids, but here are some ideas:
- Handheld games systems
- Films and TV series loaded on to tablets or laptops.
- Access to music (Spotify etc)
- Old fashioned games like "eye spy"
- Snacks and drinks to stop kids getting 'hangry' - and to keep them distracted for a while
UK road trips: quick tips
Plan your route using an online map and leave enough time for planned stops (both attractions and breaks).
Don't try to cram too much into your trip, or you may find you don't have enough time to relax.
Book overnight accommodation for each night. Ensure this is done in good time if it's high season (e.g. during school holidays, Easter, Christmas etc). Of course, this won't be necessary if you’re driving a motorhome for towing a caravan.
If you don’t like dealing with heavy traffic and crowded attractions, consider avoiding peak periods like midsummer, choosing shoulder season months like May and September. It will be cooler, quieter, and probably less expensive than high season.
Avoid rush hour and late night driving
Rush hour motoring can really put a damper on the holiday mood, with congestion and higher levels of aggression on the roads. late-night driving, meanwhile, can leave you feeling less alert behind the wheel; This is when most accidents happen.
Share the load
Long hours behind the wheel can be exhausting. If anyone else in your group is qualified, ask them to share the driving duties. Each person should avoid driving for more than nine hours in any 24-hour period.
Be prepared for emergencies and breakdowns
Have important contact numbers on your phone and written down (in case your phone runs out of power). While this is a top long drive tip, it's important for shorter journeys, too.
Have your insurance provider's details to hand in case you’re involved in a collision.
Ensure you have your breakdown provider’s contact number. And if your breakdown provider has an app for making contact, ensure this is loaded onto your phone. For example, Start Rescue's app makes it easy to report a breakdown. We were one of the first breakdown providers to provide such an app.
Double check you have the essentials on board: water, food, appropriate clothing, and first aid kit.
“FLOWER”: Final car checks before a long journey
There are six important things to check just before you set off. They can be remembered more easily with the “FLOWER” acronym.
F for Fuel - Ensure you have enough fuel in your tank to complete the first leg of your trip. If you think you might run low towards the end of the day, make sure you'll be in a location with a fuel station. It's the same story for electric vehicles: ensure you have enough charge for the first part of your journey, and note the location of charge points on your route. Note that the range of your EV may not be as high as stated by the manufacturer, and will almost certainly be reduced in colder weather.
L is for lights - Double check all your lights are working as they should, so that you can see the road and other road users can see you. Replace any bulbs as necessary before you set off.
O is for Oil - ensure your oil levels are optimal to prevent low oil pressure - which can reduce lubrication for your vehicle’s moving parts and cause serious and expensive-to-repair (or even irreversible) damage.
W is for Water - Your vehicle's engine needs coolant to stay at the right temperature. Coolant is composed of water and antifreeze. Double check these are at the level stated in your owner’s manual. If your vehicle overheats it could suffer serious damage and lead to a breakdown.
E is for Electrics - Your vehicles' 12v battery is essential for starting your engine, and running the lights and cabin elements. Ensure it is in good working order before you set off. Look out for the battery warning symbol on your dashboard, and get the battery replaced if necessary.
R is for Rubber - Check your tyre pressure is at the recommended level. A sticker inside your door or inside the fuel filler cap should tell you the correct PSI to aim for. Your owner's manual will also provide this information. And as mentioned, check your tyre tread depth is sufficient (at least 1.6mm under UK law).
Enjoy your road trip
These long drive tips should help you avoid the potential pitfalls of a road trip, giving you and your passengers the best chance of having a relaxing and memorable motoring adventure