Road trips are fun and let you travel far and beyond with the convenience and luxury of your own car. While Indian highways now have every facility available, from your favourite burger place to medical stores and garages, to ensure a smooth ride you need to be well-prepared. Impromptu or a well-planned trip, ensure the following before driving off for a memorable experience:
Check Tyre Pressure
Too much pressure reduces grip and increases average, while too less will give you a better grip but reduced fuel efficiency. Check the tread of your tyres to analyse their health. In addition, it is not advisable to drive with worn out tyre treads as it can seriously impact the handling quality of your ride.
Fill-up All Fluids
Ensure that the levels of the engine oil, brake fluid, power steering fluid, coolant are at an optimum level. These increase the life and performance of the car engine, thereby reducing the chance of breakdowns.
Upgrade Your First Aid Kit
A first aid kit is your first line of defence against emergencies and life threatening situations that may happen at any time. Be prepared with a first aid kit that contains specific medicines for particular medical conditions that your passengers may be prone to such as asthma, allergy, antibiotics and painkillers.
Carry Spare Tyre, Puncture Repair Kit and Tools
Tyres are exposed to the most wear and tear, which makes it essential to bring along a spare tyre, tool kit and puncture repair kit. Pre-planning can save you from being stuck in middle of nowhere without a spare tyre.
Charge Battery
Check if your battery is properly charged and won’t cause a problem during your trip. Double check for corrosion on terminals, clean it with baking soda, water and a toothbrush to ensure better conductivity.
Fix Washer Fluid and Wipers
Your windshield should be clean from debris and build-ups. Make sure your wipers are clean and working properly. Maintaining the levels of washer fluid and water will ensure a longer life for your wipers and avoid your windshield from being scratched.
Ensure the Safety of Co-passengers
Seatbelts are often considered as an inconvenience. However, studies have shown that people have an exponentially higher rate of survival in case of an accident if seatbelts were on.
Go for a customised seatbelt in case you are uncomfortable or get extenders that ensure you are safe and not suffocating. Although not mandatory, children should never ride in the front passenger seat. Strap them in the back seat, and if possible, get a car seat for toddlers and infants.
If your car has a central door-locking mechanism, ensure you have the child lock feature on. In addition, make sure all your doors are closed properly before you start your car.
Avoid Drinking and Driving
This one is a no-brainer. When you drive under the influence of alcohol or other substances, it compromises your alertness and sense of judgement. This can cause harm to you as well as others around you. Don’t do it.
Light up Appropriately
This includes headlights, high beams, fog lights, brake lights, indicators and reverse lights. A bad light can easily cause an accident during night-time.
Insure your Car
According to the statistics published by The Ministry of Road Transport and Highway Transport (a subsidiary of the Government of India), there were close to 5,00,000 road accidents which caused nearly 1,46,000 deaths and more than thrice the number of people injured.
These stats can worry experienced and new drivers alike. No matter how careful one is, there is never any guarantee that things won’t go wrong. Always check the validity of your car insurance policy before leaving and make sure that you also have roadside assistance.
Choose ICICI Lombard car insurance that provides immediate roadside assistance to safeguard you and your family. In case of emergency situations, timely help can be a factor between life and death.
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