The Great Kiwi Roady. It’s a tradition, and no matter the season, every school holidays many Kiwis hit the road to visit family, friends and holiday hot spots dotted all around our beautiful country. With extra holiday traffic, tired drivers and people driving on unfamiliar roads, these journeys can very quickly become stressful and risky.
Discover our essential tips to ensure you, your passengers, and your car are all set for a safe road trip adventure!
Prepare Yourself for the Road Trip
1. Know Your Route
Some roads are busier than others. Others could be impacted by roadworks or accidents, so it’s a good idea to plan ahead and map out your route. The NZ Transport Agency has a very helpful tool - The Journey Planner – which gives you information in real time on road works, traffic, road closures and delays.
2. Consider Other Road Users
Our roads are constantly full of traffic. Trucks, tankers, cars, motorcycles, cyclists, pedestrians - very rarely are you the only person on the road. Be considerate of others by keeping a safe following distance from other road users and indicating your intentions early. Everyone wants to make to their destination.
3. Drive to the Conditions
Take your time on roads that you are unfamiliar with. Make adjustments to your driving style depending on the weather, the type of road you’re driving on, the time of day or volume of traffic using the road. Increase your following distance and reduce your speed whenever the conditions are less than ideal.
4. Managing Fatigue
Take regular breaks to stay alert and try to get plenty of rest before a long journey. If you begin to feel fatigued along the way, don’t rely on caffeine to keep you going - instead pull over to rest and refresh.
5. Minimise Distractions
Loud music, mobile phones, passengers, and changing car settings — these are all distractions, and could draw your attention away from the road in front of you. Losing focus can be lethal, so aim to minimise what you can. Go hands-free or mute your phone, adjust your car’s settings before you get going, and make sure your children have plenty of entertainment and their snacks are easily available.
Prepare Your Car for the Road Trip
Now that you’re ready for an unforgettable road trip, make sure your car is road-trip ready too with these essential safety checks.
Be road safe: Check the Warrant of Fitness and servicing is up-to-date on any vehicle or towing attachments you plan to drive. This includes the safety chain, lights, tyres, and brakes for a trailer or caravan.
Check under the hood: Pop the hood and check the engine oil, coolant and windscreen washer reservoir as these fluids are critical for the safe operation of your car.
Check your tyres: Look for signs of deterioration. This could be cracks, cuts, bulges and uneven wear. The minimum tread for a tyre is 1.5mm but the more tread, the better the grip especially when raining. You can use a 20c coin to quickly measure the tread. If the whole of the number 20 can be seen, there’s less than 2mm of tread left on your tyres, and it’s time to get some new ones. All tyres (including the spare) should be inflated to the correct tyre pressure. On Suzukis, the recommended tyre pressures are usually shown on the B-pillar (between the front and rear doors).
Check the lights and indicators: Walk around your car to check that all of your lights and indicators are working and the lenses are clear. Being seen is being safe.
Do an external clean: You want to ensure you have clear visibility when driving, so clean the windscreen, rear window and side mirrors before you hit the road.
A little preparation goes a long way in ensuring a smooth, safe journey—and helps you tackle your next adventure like a pro!
If you're thinking about getting a new car that'll make you love road trips even more, check out our Ultimate Guide to Buying a New Car.
