WITH the good weather we’ve been seeing this early summer many of us will be looking forward to taking to the road, whether it be for a cosy caravanning adventure or a short and sweet staycation somewhere in our beautiful country. With many leisure journeys predicted over the coming months there are essential vehicle checks we should be doing prior to our trips to help ensure the safety of family, friends, and other road users.
First, check your tyre pressures and tread wear, both can and will affect safety and fuel consumption; if there is a problem, get it sorted. With weather forecasters predicting temperatures during the summer months to creep into the 30s, we need to take extra precautions so as not to be sweltered. Run a check on your air conditioning system, it’s not difficult – if it doesn’t blow freezing cold air when on full, it’s faulty. Get it checked by a professional, you will be glad you did.
Refill all the vital fluids. Check your windscreen washer fluid and top up with the prescribed water and screen wash mix and this will help keep the screen clear. It’s also a good idea to pack a spray bottle of bug cleaner and a microfilm cloth to keep the windscreen clear (I never head off without them).
If your car hasn’t been serviced recently, check the engine oil whilst the engine is cool. If the oil is low, top up with the appropriate engine oil. Your vehicle handbook will tell you if it uses a fully synthetic, a synthetic blend or a conventional oil (they really don’t mix well, by the way).
Make sure your battery is up to the job as lots of stop-start driving during the summer doesn’t give the alternator much chance to recharge the battery fully. Check your windscreen for chips as during the warmer months on dusty roads with the inevitable roadworks, debris and gravel may cause scrapes and chips on your screen. If you get a chip on a journey get it sorted quickly; if you already have one, get it sorted before you go.
Prepare a safety kit for the boot of your car with a few essential items that will help if you encounter any problems on the road: jump leads, tyre pressure gauge, warning triangle, first aid kit, phone charger, torch, spare clothing, a blanket, high-vis vest and a little pack-a-mac waterproof coat and trousers in case of a puncture on a rainy day. Don’t forget sunglasses for all your passengers, and a baseball cap for yourself.
And finally, in the event of a breakdown on a motorway, get all of the occupants out of the vehicle and up the bank or over the safety barriers into a place of safety. So many people are killed or injured waiting in their car when it is struck by another vehicle on the hard shoulder.
For this summer season, be prepared and have a fabulous time on the road.
