Want to make your summer holiday road trip less stressful? Here’s how

By making a few small changes, it can be easy to make that upcoming road trip a little less daunting.

The summer holidays are here, and that means many families will be taking to the car for a motoring adventure. It could be a trip to the continent, or a UK-based adventure to the coast or into the countryside. Wherever you’re heading, keeping things as stress-free as possible can help to make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable.

How do you go about doing that, though? While elements such as traffic and mechanical issues can often be out of your control, there are some things you can do to help make driving during the summer holidays easier. Let’s take a look.

Make your mechanical checks beforehand

You should also check that your car’s tyres are properly inflated and have the correct tread depth, with the legal minimum in the UK being 1.6mm. If you’re using a roofbox or cycle carrier, ensure they’re mounted correctly. If you’re using a rear-mounted carrier, then ensure that your car’s number plate isn’t obscured. You could risk a fine if it is.

Have breakdown cover sorted

There are plenty of providers to choose from, and it’s easy to compare cover and prices online.

Plan ahead – and download your maps

A little planning goes a long way, particularly when it comes to the summer holidays. Taking a look at pinch points prone to traffic, as well as areas where planned works are expected to take place, can help to take some of the stress away from a long journey and make the whole experience smoother.

If you’re heading into a more rural area, then it could be a good idea to download your maps directly to your phone. Most mapping services – such as Google Maps – allow you to download your maps when you’re connected to wifi and then use them even if you don’t have a signal. You won’t get live traffic updates, but it’ll mean you’ll always have the right route to follow.

Avoid peak travel times

It can sometimes pay to take a more meandering route, too, rather than using key junctions which can often be prone to congestion.

Pack an emergency kit

Even if you’ve got breakdown cover, you could be sitting at the roadside for a little while if your car suffers a mechanical issue. When travelling with the family, think about taking an emergency kit with you. This could include some warm blankets, a fully charged power bank to top up your smartphone, and additional snacks.

With the hot weather currently affecting the UK, making sure you’ve got plenty of water to hand is essential.

Take regular breaks

Tiredness can be a real danger when you’re on the road and while it can be tempting to push on in order to get the family to their destination, a quick 10 or 20-minute nap can make all of the difference safety-wise.

If you’re feeling tired, make sure that you stop and give yourself a break.