It’s summer! Since having kids, by February or March each year we’ve planned our entire summer. A couple trips to the beach, a day trip or two to the lake, a vacation with family. Those are just a few things we do during summer vacation and I’m sure your summer schedule is similar. When planning for a road trip we often forget to give our vehicle a second thought. Before you head out on your next summer road trip, tackle a few technical “to dos” to ensure your road trip is safe.
June is National Safety Month, and Toyota is heavily involved in helping drivers and parents keep their families safe out on the roads so they’ve provided us with this interactive infographic to remind you what’s really important before taking off to the beach this summer!
If you’re in the market for a new car check out our latest Toyota and Lexus one-week test drive reviews including our recent review of the 4Runner TRD Pro.
[pdf width=”700px” height=”1800px”]http://www.themommyinsider.com/?attachment_id=20039[/pdf]
Can’t see the infographic above?
Below are a few of the road trip car care tips. You can click here to open the pdf infographic in your browser.
No tired tires. Before taking those tires on the road, focus on: air, wear and spare.
- Air
A properly inflated tire can help you avoid a flat. Refer to the owner’s manual or a label inside the doorframe for the correct pressure and check tires when they’re cold (haven’t been driven on for three hours) for most accurate reading. - Wear
Take five minutes to inspect for excessive or irregular wear. If tread is worn to 1/16 of an inch, it’s time to replace. Irregular wear patterns indicate tires might need rotation or realignment. - Spare
Make sure the back-up has your back and run the spare through the same tests as your other tires.
Take care for rubber wear
- Inspect belts, hoses and wiper blades for blisters, cracks or cuts. All are susceptible to summer heat, so replace if not in tip-top condition. And make sure hose connections are secure.
Get plenty of fluids
- Be good to your trusted steed and follow up on fluids: oil, brake, automatic transmission, power steering, windshield washer and coolant. And if it’s time to have the oil changed or coolant system flushed, just do it.
Light it up
- Check headlights, brake lights, turn signals, emergency flashers, interior and trailer lights.
Be cool
- AC working? Hope so.
See these Summer Safety 101 tips and more here (pdf view).