As summer comes closer, many students are anticipating a summer full of traveling. Very often, road trips are the traveling method of choice, and although they offer a lot of fun and adventure, it is not too enjoyable for the car. Before anyone embarks on any long distance road trip, there are certain precautions that need to be taken to ensure that the car will make it through the journey.
Making sure your car is in tip-top shape is a crucial factor in getting ready for a road trip. Very often, cars break down because they are not in the proper condition to handle such a long ride. Besides doing basic at-home maintenance, Will Sparks, owner of Terry's Car Care, 332 W. Johnson St., said to bring the car to a shop as well.
You should bring it into a qualified service station because the average person can put air in the tires, but they can also miss something that might be wrong with the vehicle, causing problems on the trip,\ Sparks said.
Carl Kampmeier, owner of Meineke Car Care, 1826 W. Stoughton Road in Madison, agreed but did not think just a simple check-up would do the job.
""Bring the car into a shop for a complete inspection. The car should get an under-hood inspection, as well as an oil change,"" Kampmeier said.
There are also some precautions that should be done at home in addition to bringing the vehicle to a shop.
""You should properly inflate the tires, check all the fluids and make sure there is a spare tire and a jack in the vehicle,"" Sparks said.
Spending the money to get the car checked is well worth it considering the costs if something were to go wrong on the road. Getting the car inspected costs approximately $40 including an oil change.
""While on the trip, make sure the car is riding smoothly and isn't making any noises. If it is, pull over and call the closest shop you can. Roadside assistance is also a great device to have for a road trip,"" Kampmeier said.
Besides getting the car checked, Jessie Mizrahi, a UW-Madison freshman who took a road trip from Los Angeles to Dallas, Texas said there are certain supplies students should also bring along to ensure safety.
""Cell phones are key, as well as an in-car charger so your phone is always charged. There's nothing worse than being lost in the middle of nowhere with a dead phone. Maps are also really important. It's always fun to be spontaneous and end up in random small towns, but it's best to be prepared, and be able to know where you are in case of an emergency,"" he said.
He said one of the best ways to prevent car trouble is to watch out for crazy drivers that speed on open roads.
While road trips are a fun and adventurous way to spend the summer, they also involve a lot of planning. As spontaneous as the destinations get, it is important to take the appropriate safety precautions to ensure a smooth trip.
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