Road Trip Safety Checklist

Now that we've created the ultimate road trip checklist, it's time to make sure your chariot of choice is safe enough to cover the vast and endless highways and byways of America. Here’s our official road trip safety checklist. Run through it before you head out. 

Tires

This one's pretty obvious, coming from us. We're a tire store. But tires are the most important road trip safety element on your car. More than airbags, or even brakes. After all, brakes only stop the wheels from turning. Tires stop the car. 

Make sure your tires have plenty of tread left. Anything less than 4/32 is considered worn, and it’s time for new tires. You can check tread depth with a tread gauge, available at any auto parts store.

Even if your tires don't have many miles on them, they can still get dangerously old. Tires have a shelf life of about six years. Check out our article on how to determine the age of your tires. 

Are your tires balanced? If you feel vibration during a drive, it might mean an unbalanced wheel. This is more annoying than unsafe, but it can lead to other safety issues, like worn wheel bearings. 

Finally, tire pressure. Low tire pressure isn't just hard on your tires, it can make traction unpredictable. 

Remember, your car has five tires. Everything that applies to your regular tires applies to your spare tire, as well. But this isn’t just a tire safety checklist. Onward.

Brakes

Tires come first, but brakes definitely come second. Make sure you have plenty of pad life left before you set out. Do you hear a squeaking or squealing sound when you brake? That means it’s time for new pads. Many manufacturers, especially for modern cars, rivet a strip of metal to the brake pad. Once the pad surface wears down enough, the metal strip will begin to squeal against the brake disc. An annoying little “change me” alarm.

Brake discs last longer than pads, but do need to be replaced or resurfaced every once in a while. If you feel vibration under braking, your discs might be warped.

Wheel Bearings

Jack up each corner of the car until you have a tire in the air. Pull the wheel toward you and push it back toward the car. Do you feel any movement? Hear any clunking? It’s time for a new wheel bearing. Bad bearings can become a serious safety issue. If there’s no evidence of movement, they’re safe for a road trip.

Lights

This one is simple enough. Find a buddy to help you out and make sure all your lights are working. ALL of them. Headlights, high and low beams. Corner lights. Turn signals. Brake and tail lights. License plate lights. Fog lights. Obviously a dead bulb can be a safety issue, but you can also keep your wallet safe from the tickets that highway patrol might write you for having a tail light out.

This is also a good opportunity to make sure your headlights are aligned. Your owner’s manual should help you with that process. Usually headlights can be aligned via a couple of adjustment screws under the hood. 

Finally, check the clarity of your headlight housings. Unlike the good old days, when they were made of glass and stayed clear forever, modern headlights are made of plastic, which can get scratched and yellow over time. Housings can be replaced for a relatively fair price, or you can buy a buffing kit to restore them to crystal clarity. The clearer the lenses, the safer your night drives.

Suspension

Shove down on all four corners of your car. Do you hear any pronounced hissing noises? Does your car bounce up and down several times when you hit a bump? You might have a blown shock or strut. These are wear items that need to be replaced a few times over the life of the car. But shocks and struts play a crucial role in helping you maintain ideal control over bumps. 

Fluids

The important thing to remember about topping off fluids is that they don’t just go away for no reason. Sure, your car may burn some oil, and that’s fine as long as you keep it full to factory spec. But brake fluid and power steering fluid don’t just burn off or disappear. Coolant doesn’t just evaporate. If they’re low, you have a leak somewhere. Get it fixed before you leave on a big trip. You don’t want to discover a leaky brake hose when you’re coming down the backside of Loveland Pass in Colorado. 

Windshield, Wipers, and Fluid

If you’ve been putting off fixing that crack in your windshield, now is the time. A great set of single-bow windshield wiper blades is also a good idea. Even if you’re driving through Death Valley and you’re sure you’ll never see any rain. Your wipers are tasked with scrubbing splattered remains of America’s unluckiest bugs from your windshield. Leaving them on there can obstruct your vision, especially at night. And, obviously, fill up your washer fluid, then grab another bottle for the road. 

Defogger and Defroster

Your car’s climate control system isn’t just for comfort. It’s also tasked with defogging the inside of your windshield. Make sure it’s working as it should before you head out.

Towing

If you’re towing a camper or a trailer full of awesome jet skis, check your towing elements. Is there any rust or corrosion around your hitch? How’s the trailer harness connector? Do all the trailer lights come on? Just like you did on your vehicle, check the tires and wheel bearings (and brakes, if you have them) on the trailer.

Emergency Kit

Whether you’re going on a road trip or just commuting to work, it’s a good idea to carry a basic emergency kit. You never know when you’ll be stranded without cell service. 

Things to include:

• Basic tool kit
• Jumper cables
• Lug wrench
• Jack
• Tow strap
• Road flares or warning light
• First aid kit
• Granola bars
• Water
• Warm clothing (depending on climate)
• Matches
• Gloves
• Flashlight

If all the boxes are checked, you’re ready to roll. You can head on out onto the river of asphalt and explore the American wild! But if they're not, especially if in the tire departmet, make sure you reach out to Zohr for quick and easy mobile tire services like flat tire repair, tire replacement and tire pressure checks.