Safe Holiday Travel Tips from We Insure

November is one of the busiest times of the year for car travel as families head to grandmother’s house for turkey and trimmings. Since the holidays are wild enough with your Great-Uncle Sal, take heed of our travel preparation tips so you can deftly handle roadside breakdowns — or prevent them altogether! 

1. Don’t skip essential maintenance. This is still important, even if your car has been idle these past months. Take your vehicle in for a standard checkup at your local service center to do things such as:

• Top off fluids, including windshield wiper fluid for optimal visibility. 

• Check your headlights, brake lights and turn signals.

• Inspect your tire treads for wear and inflate tires to the recommended levels in your owner’s manual for a safer, more comfortable ride.

• Check your car battery — the exceptionally hot summer months this year may have drained it faster.

• Change your oil, if it’s due.

2. Travel with emergency supplies. You may be feeling confident that you already have jumper cables, a spare tire, jack and first aid kit in your car, but when did you last open the trunk and inspect these items? Many a weary traveler pulls out a flat spare tire or opens up the first aid kit to find essential items missing or damaged. 

Other emergency items that you’ll want to have on hand include extra water and food, a flashlight, motor oil, radiator fluid, emergency lights or flares, phone chargers/power packs and a fire extinguisher. Have an extra supply of any medicines you need to take, hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray/wipes as well as extra masks for all passengers. Depending on where you’re headed, you may also need snow supplies like an ice scraper, snow shovel and blankets.

3. Make sure you have good auto insurance coverage and roadside assistance. Before you hit the road, have your up-to-date insurance documents and registration handy — and lock in your emergency roadside assistance insurance coverage. Emergency roadside assistance generally covers towing, battery jumps, tire servicing, gas delivery and lockouts. But what if you have more serious car trouble and need to have your car towed to the nearest service center? You could be stuck somewhere between Yeehaw Junction and Miami for an overnight stay or longer while waiting on repairs. 

Fortunately, there are other insurance options that cover alternative transportation, accommodations and even a food allowance for you and your co-travelers. Road trip accident accommodations coverage is actually quite affordable, so get a quote from your local We Insure agent before your holiday travel this year. 

Don’t kid yourself when you see a disabled vehicle on the side of the road and think that it won’t happen to you — one day, it could. By following these tips, you can overcome many problems quickly and arrive fresh and in time for all the family fun.  

If you’re ready to save money on your auto, home, boat or business policies, contact your local We Insure office. Our agents have access to top carriers and specialty insurance providers to help you get the most coverage at the best rates.

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