The bank holiday is here and a lot of people myself included like to take advantage of the extra few days off and go for an adventure. I am actually working over the weekend so I won't be going anywhere but we went on a few long journeys last weekend as we were both off and took advantage of the gorgeous weather.
On Saturday we went to Stratford Upon Avon and had such a lovely day, the weather was beautiful, it was so warm and then on Sunday we drove to Weston Super Mare for the day.
When going on long journeys you should always check your car over and make sure that everything is in working order before you get on your way. I thought i'd put together a list of things to check before going on those long journeys.
* One of the main things to check is your tyres, if your tyres are not safe they can cause some very serious accidents or issues. Blow outs or a puncture on the motorway can be so dangerous so just checking your tyres before you leave is so important. You want to check the tyre pressure, you don't want too much or not enough pressure in your tyres. Next you want to check the condition of your tyres, look out for any holes, scratches and rips as these can cause problems. You can always have your tyres checked and replaced by a specialist One place to go to for cheap tyres London is DAT Tyres where they offer fairly low prices. This ensures you have the safest tyres before a long journey. Also check your spare tyre for any damage should you need to replace a tyre should you have any issues.
* Engine Oil, again this can cause all kinds of problems including your engine could completely seize up and stop working which would leave you pretty much stranded. So make sure this is topped up before you go on your journey. You check the oil using the dipstick.
*Checking you have enough water in your car. Even if the weather is lovely and you wont be using your windscreen wipers the water in your car the water also keeps the car cool and your engine temperature maintained. Your car could overheat or you could break your engine if you don't have enough water in your car.
*Windscreen Wipers, This is such a simple thing to check but can cause real issues if they are broken. Just test them before you get on your way. In case it starts to rain and you cannot see because they are broken or you could get dust or something else blow onto your windscreen and you cannot clear it because the wipers are broken or just smearing it across the screen.
* Are your lights working? This can be a real hazard whether your driving during the day or night. If your brake light is out or an indicator isn't working you can cause an accident as the driver behind won't know what you are doing. Light bulbs are very inexpensive so replace any broken ones before you go. In the dark a lack of lights can be so so dangerous, especially on little country roads that have no street lights.
*Have your car serviced? Have you got an MOT coming up? If your due to get your car serviced or MOT get this done before you head away for the weekend. There could be a serious problem with your car that you know nothing about. Having your car checked out before you go away could prevent you braking down so it's worth doing. We went to wales a couple of years ago and Clint's car was due a MOT and we found out he needed 4 new tyres and this could have caused a serious problem if we had left it until we got home and could have cost us a lot more money to have the car fixed if we were in an accident or recovered if we broke down.
* Plan your journey, do you have enough petrol? Do you know where your going? The nearest service station? Do you have tools in the boot should you need them. Have you got water and food should you break down. It doesn't hurt to be prepared.
