subject: External Checks To Conduct Before A Road Trip [print this page] Road trips are engrained in the hearts of Americans of this generation. Whether it's trying to make it from El Paso to Austin on a single Toyota Prius' tank of gas, that desire for adventure compels and captivates us as Americans in at least some small way, no matter who you are. And while it may be fun to fly somewhere, as well as perhaps progressively cheaper, there lore of Route 66 and historic road landmarks drives many of us wild.
Rushing off into the sunset too hastily can get a person in trouble. Proper planning is a key to any long road trip. With that in mind, there are some basic ways that we must check to make sure our vehicle is ready to handle our journey with us like some royal steed. Like horses and animals require hoof inspections or like airplanes require preflight checks, road bound vehicles should always have a few major external components inspected for proper function.
Headlights
No matter where you're going, in night or day, having the option of headlights is a benefit without modesty. Headlights on a vehicle are used for seeing, but also for being seen. Headlights are great for seeing the road ahead, but they're also valuable because they let the driver be seen by more of the road, be it drivers or animals that happen to share the road. In the United States Army, drivers are required to keep their headlights on while operating military vehicles in day conditions. This allows the driver the confidence to know that he is both seeing and beings, which is one of the biggest ways to prevent safety accidents. Another big reason to verify that headlights work is that having one that doesn't work at night can get a person a ticket in many states.
Brake Lights
Lights should be checked every time before a person goes anywhere, road trips just happen to be a great example of the true importance of them. Brake lights should work on both sides, and have many components. In many cars, the rear turning signals and the brakes are in the same area of the lights. Also in that area is often the rear backup lights. Making sure that each set of lights works is another safety tip for the road. Like headlights, having a brake light that doesn't work is likely to get a person a ticket if pulled over.
Tire Pressure
Wheels of a car are the first part that give a tire connection to the actual road surface itself. Tire pressure plays a huge roll in traffic accidents because often it's something such as over inflation or under inflation that causes a tire to blowout. Checking tire pressure is as easy as getting a small gauge from an auto repair shop and looking up in your owner's manual what the proper Pounds Per Square Inch should be of your vehicle's tires. If you don't have your owner's manual, you can often open your driver's door or your glove box and find a data plate that usually will say what these things are.
