Road trips are often a great time for bonding with loved ones or friends. Choosing to drive somewhere can often also be much less expensive than buying a plane ticket. When you are toad tripping, you need to make sure you are aware of possible threats to your vehicle.
Rocks
When you go on road trips, you are usually driving long distances, sometimes even through multiple states. The roads you drive on may not be very well maintained the further you get away from major cities or towns. In these conditions, there will probably be more rocks on the road than you are used to, which can make flat tires much more likely. You can only slowly drive on a flat tire safely for around 1.5 miles. Since chances are that you will be far from any roadside help and may be out of cell phone service range, you need to make sure you have a spare tire and know how to replace a flat.
Insects and Wildlife
Typically, when you get farther away from human civilization, the amount of wildlife significantly increases. Be on the lookout for larger wildlife so you can hopefully avoid hitting them. While insects are much harder to see than larger wildlife, they can also be a big threat to your car. Insects are acidic and can damage your car paint. Once you have arrived somewhere with a car wash or a good amount of water, wash your car to get rid of any dead insects.
Dirt and Sand
Interstate roads tend to have a lot of dirt and sand on them. These dirt and sand particles are small enough that the wind can pick them up, scraping them against the outside of your car. Like the acidic insect bodies, dirt and sand abrasions can cause significant damage to your car’s exterior. Additionally, dirt and sand can get in filters and brake pads. Make sure to check these things after a road trip and clean them out so they work properly and safely.
Road trips can be lots of fun and a great use of your vehicle. However, you have to remember that your car does not typically drive on roads like that. There are different threats to your car that you need to think about on a road trip so you can plan accordingly and make sure the vehicle still works properly after your trip.
Check out this article on tips for planning a road trip with a group of friends!