With good weather and time off work, it’s time for a summer vacation. We always make sure that our skin is safe from the sun by packing sun cream and a hat, but what about checking whether your car is safe enough to drive? Before heading out for a road trip, or your next vacation, follow the checklist below to ensure that you arrive at your destination in one piece!

1. Check Your Tires

You need to make sure that your vehicle’s tires have enough tread because if they are worn away, your stopping distance is affected which may result in a collision with another car – or, another person. This is especially the case when driving in wet conditions. The minimum depth of tread in the U.S is 2/32” across 75% of the tire’s width, which means you are driving illegally if your car tire depth of tread is lower than that! Thankfully, the problem is easily solved with a trip to one of the local tire shops to replace the tire for you.

2. Check Your Lights

You can check your signaling and fog lights are working by asking someone to check for you as you run through the light buttons, or by looking at your vehicle’s reflection in a mirrored or glass building.

3. Check Your Horn

Remember, a horn is not just there for you to convey your anger at other road users, but it is important that your horn works so you can warn others and signal your presence in blind spot areas.

4. Check Your Oil

Test your oil by parking on a flat surface and remove the vehicle’s oil dipstick from the front bonnet. Wipe the oil off the stick, dip it back in and then remove after 30 seconds. If the oil lies between the minimum and maximum line, you’re good to go.

5. Check any Warning Lights

Perhaps an obvious one, but you’d be surprised at the amount of people who ignore those flashing lights and then run into trouble later on down the line. These lights come on for a reason, and sometimes are faulty, but the best thing to do is check out what the warning light is warning you about! In some cases, you may need to visit a garage or auto repair shop to fix the problem. However, it is more than likely that you may be able to fix the problem at home, after a quick look in the car’s manual.

6. Check the Brake Fluid

Brake fluid can be checked in the same way that you check your oil but locate the brake fluid in the master cylinder. If it is brown, instead of amber, you’ll need some fresh brake fluid!

You may have already done these things in the past, but it is important to keep on top of these tasks and do them regularly in order to maintain the safety of your car. It could make the difference between life or death, so don’t take any risks!