British holidaymakers have been warned that they could face a £300 fine if they fail to follow seven steps before driving odd on their Bank Holiday weekends.
The four day weekend is set to be the busiest for transport that the country has seen since 2019 and around 17million cars are expected to be on the road at points reducing traffic to a crawl and increasing the chances of accidents.
This means it is more important than ever to insure your car is safe to drive before you set off to reduce the chances of any costly complications.
These are the seven steps all drivers should do before setting off according to road safety experts Green Flag.
Huge queues of Easter holiay traffic on the M5 near Bristol as holidaymakers and day trippers head to the south west
Check your tyres
This one sounds fairly basic but you’d be surprised how many drivers don’t do this before a big journey with as many as one in six Green Flag callouts for tyre related issues.
Things to make sure you’re on top off are tyre pressure and any punctures that may blow up in your face on the journey.
Helpful advice to any tyre related issues should be easily found in your cars handbook.
Then it’s just a case of pulling into a petrol station or breaking out the foot pump to get your tyres up to the right pressure.
You can also use a 20p coin to check for tread wear as if the outer band of the coin is visible when placed inside the groove between the treads, they’ve worn too low and the tyres need replacing.
Check you have enough fuel
Britain’s roads are set to be the busiest they’ve been since 2019 this weekend and that means you’ll be idling and using up valuable fuel.
Start a journey too low on juice and you could easily run out on the way to a petrol station.
Ditto if you’re driving an electric car. You don’t want to be the person who runs out of charge on the M25.
You can top up the air in your tyres at most petrol stations
Refuel (or recharge) before you set off to save time and stress on the road
Insure you have full breakdown cover
There are many different ways that drivers can protect themselves on the road.
As well as mandatory motoring insurance, most motorists opt to invest in roadside breakdown cover, which offers roadside assistance and many other features.
Obviously you hope you’ll never need it, but in an emergency situation it’s better to be safe as according to which calling out uninsured emergency breakdown cover can cost as much as £300.
Make sure your phone is charged up for the journey
Having a fully charged phone on a long drive can be a lifesaver so it’s important to make sure it’s ready to go when you need it.
Obviously don’t use it while you’re driving as that incurs fines of up to £1,000 and is dangerous.
But with traffic set to be very heavy, having a fully charged phone ready for diversions is incredibly important.
Pack a portable charger to insure it will never run dry when you need it.
Checking your oil level could save you from a stressful breakdown
Check the fluid levels of your car
From the fuel in the tank to the oil in the engine, your vehicle is full of different fluids and it’s important to make sure they’re regularly topped up and changed if needed.
Before you leave open the bonnet and check you’ve got plenty of screen wash, coolant and power steering fluid in your motor – there should be very clear ‘max’ and ‘min’ levels to show you.
It is vital you have enough windscreen washer fluid as if you don’t you can be fined £100.
If they’re low, pop down to Halfords to pick up some more – screen wash starts from £3.99 for two litres, coolant (aka antifreeze) at £5.29 for a litre and power steering fluid is from £7.29 for 500ml.
Another incredibly important fluid is oil – without it, your engine will simply seize up and that is an incredibly costly repair.
A regular service is the best way to keep your car ticking over smoothly
Make sure your car is serviced
It is important cars are regularly serviced to spot any potential problems before they develop.
Every time you drive your car, you increase the amount of wear and tear on the vehicle. However, this can be difficult to see – while some drivers may be able to tell if their tyres or wiper blades need changing, what about the brake pads? Yet they’re absolutely critical to safe driving.
A service gets right under the bonnet – and literally under the car itself – to help make sure nothing is wrong and that your car is safe to drive.
Companies like Halfords can help can help with a range of benefits including exclusive member discounts and £10 off your MOT.
Walk around your car
The last step is the easier – walk around your car before you set off.
It might seem silly, but it’s the best way to spot if anything is seriously amiss before you set off.
This could include flat tyres, busted brake lights and faulty indicators.
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