Planning for a road trip in 2021 should be easy so long as you have the right tools with you. The trick to making this mini-vacation a success is to plan ahead to keep the car – and you – running smoothly for the duration of the road trip.
We’ve compiled a list of the most essential items you should pack for every road trip.
Table of Contents
License and Registration
For obvious reasons, you do not want to leave home without them. Whether you drive in your home country or abroad, always make sure that you are licensed to drive. Depending on the area, may need to obtain an international driver’s license. Check in with local laws before going on a road trip.
You’ll also need a car registration showing that you own it legally. All police officers will ask to see your driver’s license and registration.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance can protect you from unexpected incidents such as accidents, theft, injury, or last-minute cancellations out of your control. Hopefully, you won’t need to use it, but do keep a copy in your car just in case.
Spare Type
The tyres are your car’s only connection to the tarmac – and life isn’t easy for the tyre. All that wear and tear will take its toll on the tyres. And it’s only a matter of when, and not if, you get a flat tyre. Things like bad road conditions and head can result in a flat tyre. Make sure you are prepared by adding a spare tyre in the trunk.
Pro tip: Toss a car jack in the trunk to make the tyre changing process much easier.
Phone Charger
Your phone will run out of battery and when it does, you won’t have an electrical outlet to rely on. This is why it helps to bring a phone charger with you. Bonus points if your car provides you with wireless charging capabilities – you’ll need it unless you’re going off-grid and relying on paper maps.
According to most Hyundai Tucson reviews, the crossover SUV has built-in wireless charging capabilities to keep your phone fully charged at all times.
If your car doesn’t have a charger, get a multi-port charger from Amazon.
Map
The GPS is only as good as the cell phone reception you get. And the cell phone reception can fail if you go too far out of town. This is why a backup map is extremely important on a long car ride. This way, if you’re isolated on the road with no one to ask for directions, you can always pull up the map and navigate yourself back into town.
Use a tool like maps.me to download the map of the region you plan on navigating.
Besides, most GPS directions are super efficient – to the point where they make the road trip a bit boring and bland. If you want to take the scenic route, that old school paper map will serve you well.
Flashlight
Things are going to get dark at night. A regular flashlight will get the job done, but if possible, try to bring a headlamp because it is much brighter. Don’t forget to bring extra batteries (and keep them charged).
First Aid Kit
You’ll need a first aid kit to deal with minor accidents and injuries on the road. Depending on how far you are from the nearest hospital, finding access to emergency care may not be possible. But a DIY first aid kit can help you out in those minor emergencies.
Make sure you first aid kit contains the following:
- Alcohol wipes and sterilizers
- First aid tape
- Antibiotic cream
- Gauze
- Tweezers
- Pain relief medication
Water Bottle
Don’t go on a road trip without packing an adequate supply of drinkable water. You don’t know when you’ll come across a grocery store on your road trip and should not take any chances. Several large bottles will keep you hydrated even if you are stranded in the middle of nowhere. Keep at least two weeks’ worth of supply with you.
Bug Spray
Fight those annoying bugs and flies with bug spray. Depending on where you’re headed, a bug spray is an absolute must-have. It will keep you safe from diseases and make the road trip more enjoyable.
Wet Wipes
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Wet wipes will make cleaning up much easier on the road trip – even if you need to go on a toilet break. Make sure to bring several wet wipes for everyone.
Wrap Up
The list of things you bring on your road trip will help you handle any number of situations – emergency or otherwise. So what’s on your road trip packing list? Let us know your thoughts and suggestions.