Road Trip Checklist: How to Prepare Your Car, Route and Bags

01In short

A good road trip starts a few days before you leave. Check the car while there is still time to fix anything, plan a route with realistic stops, pack what you will actually need within reach, and drive smoothly once you are on the road. This checklist covers each stage in order.

Rules, closures and conditions change, so confirm anything time-sensitive, such as road works, park opening hours or weather, with the official source close to your departure date.

02A few days before: the car

Work through these checks early, so a problem can be dealt with by a qualified technician before the trip rather than on the road.

1. Tires. Check the pressure of every tire, including the spare, against the number on the driver’s door-frame sticker or in your owner’s manual. Our guide to checking tire pressure walks through it. Look for cuts, bulges or worn tread.
2. Warning lights. If the check engine light or any other warning light is on, get the car inspected before a long drive. FuelEconomy.gov notes that a car can seem to drive normally even when a repair is needed.
3. Fluids and wipers. Check the levels your owner’s manual tells you to check yourself, top up washer fluid and replace worn wiper blades.
4. Scheduled maintenance. If an oil change or service is due soon, do it before you go. Use the grade of oil your manual recommends.
5. Documents. Make sure your driver’s license, registration and insurance details are current and in the car.

03A few days before: the route

1. Plan the main route and an alternative, in case of closures or heavy traffic.
2. Plan stops, not just the destination. Regular breaks for rest, food and fuel make long days safer and more pleasant. Decide roughly where you will stop before you set off.
3. Save maps offline in your navigation app, or carry a paper map, for areas where phone signal may drop.
4. Check official sources for the places you’ll visit: park and attraction websites, state transportation departments for road conditions, and weather forecasts.
5. Share your plan with someone who isn’t travelling, including roughly when you expect to arrive.

04The night before: packing

Pack in two layers: what you need during the drive, and everything else.

Within reach in the cabin:

• Water and simple snacks
• Phone, charging cable and a car charger
• Sunglasses, any medicines you need during the day, and tissues or wipes
• Your route notes, tolls payment method and documents

In the trunk:

• Luggage, packed so the heaviest bags sit low and toward the front of the trunk
• A basic emergency kit: flashlight, first-aid kit, warm layer, blanket and a reflective warning triangle if you have one
• The spare tire, jack and wheel tools your car came with, and the manual that explains them

Keep the load reasonable. Extra weight and roof boxes ask more of the car, and you should never load it beyond the limits in your owner’s manual.

05On the road: drive smoothly

FuelEconomy.gov points out that aggressive driving, meaning speeding and rapid acceleration and braking, wastes fuel, and that gas mileage usually drops quickly at speeds above about 50 mph. Driving smoothly and observing the speed limit is also safer.

• Accelerate gently and look well ahead so you can ease off early instead of braking hard.
• Use cruise control on open highways where it’s safe and appropriate.
• Take breaks before you feel tired, and swap drivers if you can.

06Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving car checks to the morning you leave, when there is no time to fix anything.
• Planning only the destination, with no idea where the next fuel or rest stop is.
• Burying essentials in the trunk so you have to unpack to find a charger or water.
• Relying on phone signal for navigation in remote areas.
• Pushing on while tired. A short stop is always better than a long, tired drive.

07The short version

Check tires, warning lights and documents a few days ahead; plan the route, stops and a backup; keep essentials within reach; and drive smoothly with regular breaks. Confirm anything time-sensitive with the official source before you leave.