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November 16, 2022

Road Trips Should Be Fun and Safe

Your itinerary is set, your bags are packed, and you’re ready to hit the asphalt for your next highway adventure. But how ready is your vehicle for the long journey ahead?

Few things spoil a vacation more quickly than car trouble in the middle of the road. Prevent roadside emergencies from ruining your next road trip by performing a few maintenance tasks before you go. Below, Veteran Car Donations shares handy tips to help ensure your next road trip holiday goes off without a hitch.

 

Prevention Is the Key to a Safe Road Trip

The easiest way to prevent unexpected breakdowns during your road trip is to let a mechanic check your car a week or so before your trip. It’s important to remember that having a mechanic look at your car only a day before your trip is never a good idea. Some car problems could take some time to fix and a big last-minute issue could throw a wrench into your plans.

A full safety infection by a mechanic should cover the following things:

  • Check the fluid levels. These include engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, antifreeze, and windshield washer fluid. It’s a good idea to bring extra bottles of each type to keep in the trunk. You never know when you’re going to need them.
  • Have an oil change if you haven’t changed your oil in the last 3,000 miles.
  • Ensure your car’s batteries and cables are free of corrosion and securely attached. Car batteries usually last three to five years. Remember that it’s easier and cheaper to check and replace your battery than to call a tow truck because your battery gave out along the way.
  • Check the brakes. Ensure you have at least 50% brake pad availability. If brake pad availability is below 50% and you’re driving more than a thousand miles, have the brakes changed.
  • Do a tune-up. If it’s more than three years since your last maintenance update, now’s a good time to do your car’s recommended maintenance. If your car’s timing belt is within a few thousand miles of the replacement time, have it replaced.
  • Replace your wipers if they smear the view when it rains.
  • Inspect if all the lights are working. These include headlights, brakes, signal lights, and taillights.
  • Check the tires. Replace tires that show tread wear. Check the tires’ alignment to avoid uneven wear. Ensure that all four tires including the spare have proper tire pressure.

 

Be Prepared for the Worst

Putting together an emergency kit may seem like a bother, but you know what’s even more bothersome? Being stuck on the side of the road without a blanket or extra food and water. Your emergency kit should also include a mobile phone and charger you can plug into the car, a flashlight and some backup batteries, a first aid kit, and a basic toolkit.

Make sure you have a copy of the car’s warranty and insurance in the glove box. Ensure you have a number for emergency roadside assistance.

Last but not least, bring a spare set of keys to your car in case you get locked out or lose your keys. Have a safe and fun road trip!

 

Would You Like to Do Something Awesome Before Your Road Trip?

Before you hit the road, why not do something awesome for our suffering veterans who could only dream of a fun road trip with family and friends? Many of our veterans are suffering from homelessness, inability to find jobs to support themselves and their families, service-connected disabilities, and serious illnesses, including mental health conditions.

You can easily extend a helping hand to the struggling veterans in your community. All you have to do is donate an unwanted vehicle to us at Veteran Car Donations. We’ll use your donated vehicle to improve the living conditions of those veterans together with their families.

We serve as the online vehicle donation platform of IRS-certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that are fully committed to serving our nation’s disadvantaged and underserved veterans. We sell vehicles donated to us and use the proceeds to help fund the vital life improvement programs of these nonprofits.

They provide deserving veterans with housing and financial assistance, employment and livelihood opportunities, family support, free quality health care and medical treatment, psychotherapy services, scholarships, and other services meant to uplift their lives.

As a donor, you get to enjoy valuable perks, one of which is getting entitled to receive the maximum tax deduction in the next tax season. You also don’t need to pay for our pickup and towing service. We offer them for free to our donors in all parts of the United States.

Above all, you’ll have the ultimate pleasure and satisfaction of doing something extraordinary that can help transform the lives of our nation’s heroes.

We take almost all types of vehicles, regardless of their age or condition. Apart from standard cars, we accept RVs, motorcycles, mopeds, boats, jet skis, golf carts, snowmobiles, company trucks, and many others. They don’t even have to be in good condition.

For more information on our vehicle donation program, visit our FAQs page. Should you have any inquiries or concerns, feel free to call us anytime through our toll-free hotline at 877-594-5822 or write to us here.

 

Touch the Hearts of Our Heroes Today!

Don’t miss this chance to show your gratitude and appreciation to our nation’s unsung heroes. You can turn a car that’s no longer useful to you into a life-changing gift for them. Call Veteran Car Donations at 877-594-5822 or fill out our secure online donation form now!

 

Last Updated: August 24th, 2023

Veteran Car Donations operates in all 50 states.

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Or call (877) 594-5822!