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Making a long journey
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Making a long journey
With so many Breakdown Packages offering no claims discounts these days, it’s not just about staying safe and maintaining your car – ensuring your car doesn’t break down could save you cash too.
Check out our 10 Tip Travellers Guide below, as we show you how to cut the risk of breaking down and guarantee a safer journey.
1. Plan your route
Not all the checks that you need to make are on your car. Make sure that you have an up-to-date map in the car at all times, even if it’s a journey that you make regularly – you never know when there will be diversions, accidents and road closures in place. If you don’t have time to buy a map there are loads of resources on the internet and you should be able to find detailed maps and step-by-step directions.
See Useful Sites to plan your route.
2. Check your levels
Make sure that you check the oil and water levels in your car. Everyone who drives should know how to do this, but if you don’t, pull into a garage at the start of your journey and ask them to check them for you – they can also show you how to do it yourself next time.
3. Fill up
Make sure that you set off with a full tank of petrol and check the levels as you go. It’s also a good idea to have a spare can of petrol in the boot in case of emergencies. Make sure you are not one of the 52% of men or 42% of women, who admitted to Green Flag (www.greenflag.co.uk) that they had brokendown due to running out of petrol.*
If you’re travelling abroad be aware that types of fuel might differ and make sure that you know what to fill your car up with once you get there.
4. Screenwash and de-icer
Top up the screenwash – your windscreen will get dirty driving at fast speeds and for long distances. In winter you should remember to mix it with de-icer so that the windscreen doesn’t ice over.
5. Tread and air
You should check the tread and air in your tyres regularly and always before a long journey. Worn away tread is dangerous as the tyres won’t grip the road properly, and deflated tyres can cause further damage to the wheel, and will pull to the side as you drive.
See Useful Sites for more information on tyre tread limits as you could be fined £2,500 for each tyre that is below the legal tread limit as well as receiving three penalty points.
6. Tyre pressure
You also need to make sure that the pressure is correct. This should be written in your car – either in the door or on the petrol cover – and in the manual. Then you need to go to a petrol station and use a pressure gauge to check and inflate them.
If you over inflate the tyres you run the risk that they’ll explode, and if you get the balance out, then the car will pull to one side, so make sure that you double check them.
See Useful Sites for more information of tyre pressures
7. Fix-a-Flat
If you’re concerned about getting stranded alone with a flat tyre, you could keep a can of fix-a-flat in the boot. You can use it to pump and seal your tire in an emergency, but once you’ve used it you’ll have to replace the tyre rather than get it fixed as it will be full of foam and sealant.
8. Don’t overload
While you don’t want to weigh your car down putting extra weight on the tyres and guzzling more petrol, there are things that no long journey should be without. Make sure that you have a first aid kit, a jack, warning triangle, fire extinguisher and spare light bulbs.
9. Emergency provisions
You should also keep a blanket, food, water and a torch in the car in case of emergencies. You might be driving in bad weather and might have to wait a long time for your breakdown company to arrive, so you should always be prepared.
10. Repairs
If you car is on the verge of needing a service, or has a problem you’ve been meaning to get checked, make sure you do so before embarking on any long journey, and especially if you’re going abroad – you don’t want to break down in a country where you don’t speak the language.
Click here to view European Breakdown packages.
*Based on a survey of 4,000 motorists (Green Flag Press Release 15 May 2006)
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