It can be enjoyable to spontaneously decide to take a short trip as the summer is winding down. In these situations, such as amid the heavily traveled Labor Day Weekend, it is still best to allocate some time for checking to be sure your vehicle is properly serviced before departure. You can quickly conduct many of these basic safety checks yourself.
Check Your Vehicle’s:
Tires
You will want to visually inspect the tread depth of your tires. This can be done using a quarter. Insert it upside down into the tread to be sure that the depth extends to touch a part of Washington’s head, which equates to at least 4/32”. If you notice that your tires are unevenly worn, then you should have them rotated.
Proper inflation of your tires is critical and the pressure, which is measured in PSI, is listed in small print along the sidewalls of the tires.
Check to be certain that your spare tire is present and in good condition for the trip. Additionally, confirm the presence of the tools necessary to change the tire, including the jack and a tool to remove the lug nut bolts.
Fluids
Check the level of your radiator fluid by removing the cap and confirming there is some excess in the reservoir if your vehicle has one. If the color of the fluid appears murky or contains fragments, it may be time to have the system flushed and refilled. Additionally, you will want to inspect the radiator hoses for evidence of wear such as the presence of steam and to lightly squeeze them to check for leaks.
Other fluids to inspect include: engine oil, as well as the transmission, brake, and windshield washer fluids.
Belts: A worn fan belt will typically emit a sound that is apparent when the vehicle is running and the hood is open.
Are your wiper blades functioning well? Spray some washer fluid to gauge their performance.
Verify that your headlights, tail lights, brake lights and turn signals are functional. This is a critical step for safety purposes, as well as to prevent from possibly being ticketed for an equipment violation.
Safety Supplies
Jumper cables
Road flares for the unlikely event that your vehicle becomes disabled near the shoulder of the road. These will serve as an indicator to alert moving traffic of your presence.
A flashlight
Some drinking water should be on-hand in case your vehicle became disabled in a remote area in the late-summer heat and also if any passenger requires it to take medication.
A good supply of coins on hand to pay for toll roads and parking meters.
Be proactive in checking your route for construction projects, road closures and detours.
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