Driving holiday tips: be prepared for holiday by car
Summer, winter, spring or autumn: many Indian people like to go out by car during the holiday periods. The car is and remains the most popular means of transport; slightly more than half opt for a car holiday. To make your trip to the holiday destination as carefree as possible, there are a number of things you can take into account.Do this, because good preparation can save you a lot of stress. That is why we give car holiday tips about the car check, packing, maximum loading weight, fuel consumption, mandatory tools for the car, toll, roadside assistance, car insurance and more important points. All this so that you are as prepared as possible for a driving holiday.
Auto check before departure
Organize car
Maximum loading weight
Driving holiday and Corona
Mandatory tools Europe
Vignette and environmental sticker
Check tire pressure
Winter or summer tires?
Rules, fines and obligations
Riding in the mountains
Know what car insurance covers
Breakdown situations
Roadside assistance needed
Replacement vehicle
Avoid black Saturdays
Provide entertainment in the car
Auto check before departure With the extra weight of luggage, the steep mountain slopes and the long distances, the chance of a defect in the car during your holiday is just a bit greater than during routine rides on the Indian roads. It is therefore wise to have the car checked at the garage before departure. Almost every car dealer checks for a few bucks whether the brake discs, the air conditioning and the windshield wipers will last for a holiday (and hopefully longer). Do the check well before departure, so that there is enough time for any repairs to your car.
You do not have to have everything checked by a specialist, there are also some actions you can perform yourself. This will save you on maintenance costs . Such as checking the tire pressure and tread depth of the tires. You can also check the fluids yourself, such as coolant, brake and windscreen washer fluid. This way you know whether you need to refill them and whether you need to bring spare fluid with you. And… do you actually have a spare wheel in the trunk? Good to have a look at that.
Organize car Before packing, make a packing list for the driving holiday. Once packed? Then the layout of the trunk - and the rest of the car - can begin. How do you do this as practically as possible? Heavy suitcases and bags are best placed at the bottom of the trunk. If everything does not fit and luggage comes out above the back of the rear seat, make sure you have a luggage net or rack and secure the luggage properly. This way you prevent bags, suitcases or loose items from flying through the car in the event of an accident or sudden stop. That can be quite dangerous. You can use auto repair shop management software free for better experince.
Maximum loading weight If you are not, or to a lesser extent, limited by a baggage limit, you are quickly inclined to take more than necessary. But even if you have the space, it is good to think about the amount of stuff you are taking with you. Excess baggage leads to higher gasoline consumption and sometimes even unsafe traffic situations. Especially when the maximum loading weight of the car is exceeded. Useful; the maximum loading weight can be found on your registration certificate. So leave unnecessary things at home when you go on a driving holiday. Also pay a little attention to your driving style, as this will affect fuel consumption .
Driving holiday and Corona Each country has its own corona rules . When planning your vacation, pay close attention to the travel advice for each country and keep checking them as your vacation gets closer. In addition, take into account not only your final destination, but also the countries in which you are passing through. Keep an eye on the India Worldwide website for the most up-to-date information.
Mandatory tools Unlike in the India, most countries have strict requirements for the safety equipment in the car . In addition to a warning triangle, a first-aid kit, safety vests for all occupants, spare bulbs, an alcohol test and a fire extinguisher are sometimes mandatory. You should put these tools and other important items that you may need during your driving holiday in an easily accessible place. That is not in that one bag somewhere in the back of the trunk under all those black, big bags. If you rent a car abroad with a license plate of the country itself, other obligations sometimes apply. Always check the applicable requirements with the rental company.
Check tire pressure After charging the car, check the tire pressure: for better road holding and fuel savings, this should be increased when the car is heavily loaded. The weaker the tires, the more fuel will be consumed during the ride. But also make sure that the tension is not too high, because that can cause a blowout and less grip on the road. And that is dangerous. The correct tire pressure differs per car. On a sticker in the door frame, sun valve or fuel valve there is (probably) a sticker stating the correct tire pressure for your car.
Get more: automotive workshop management software
Winter or summer tires? By the way, also keep in mind what kind of tires you leave for the holiday destination. Most of the Indian cars run on summer tires all year round. Even in winter. Driving with winter tires is therefore not mandatory in our country. It is different abroad: in the colder periods of the year it is mandatory in some European countries to drive with winter tires . In winter conditions, the braking distance is shorter with winter tires, and the grip on the road is better. In some areas and under certain weather conditions, snow chains are also mandatory abroad.
It is a completely different story when you drive in the summer, or other periods with warm weather. Then summer tires are better again. These tires are also not mandatory in the India. Other countries are also not that strict about driving with summer tires in the warm times.
Vignette and environmental sticker In many countries in Europe, tolls are levied or a vignette is required. Nowadays, tolls can be paid in more and more places with a credit card, instead of just cash. Do you only have cash? Then you have the chance that you will end up in a much longer line. An electronic toll badge is for sale for the French toll gates, with which you can easily pay at separate (and often faster) rows. You need a vignette to drive through Austria and Switzerland. You can often buy this at the highway border crossings. If you want to arrange such a vignette in advance, you can order it online.
With regard to the environment and emissions, there are nowadays (parts of) countries in which your car has to comply with certain environmental conditions. To indicate that your car meets the environmental requirements, you must apply for an environmental sticker . If the car does not meet the requirements, you are not allowed to pass through such an area and you must take a different route. And does your car meet the requirements, but you don't have a sticker? Even then you are not allowed to enter the area. A waste of detours. If you order an environmental sticker, you often have to wait five working days for it. So don't wait until the last moment to check and apply.
Part 2 here
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