Checklist for car vacations: You must think of these seven things

Created: 06/28/2022, 14:08

By: Marcus Efler

If you go on holiday by car, you can travel relaxed and be mobile on site.

If you follow these seven tips, you will probably easily reach your goal.

Crowded trains, chaos at the airports: Good for those who can start their vacation by car.

Anyone who avoids driving on a Saturday has a good chance of getting to their destination with little or no traffic jams.

However, a little

is part of it in order to avoid trouble and stress on the way.

Here is the checklist of seven important things to look out for:

• Technical check:

  If the car is regularly serviced during the inspection, no great preparations are necessary nowadays.

  After the dingy winter, however, it can't hurt to check the fill level of the washer fluid.

  The

  tire pressure

  should also be checked: If the vehicle is fully loaded with family and luggage, it must be slightly higher than normal.

  The corresponding value can be found in the operating instructions, and usually also on the fuel filler flap.

  Too low tire pressure increases consumption and reduces safety.

• Car papers:

  In addition to the personal documents for travelers such as identity cards and driver's licenses, the car also needs its own: This is the registration certificate Part I - the long, folded piece of paper that used to be called the

  vehicle registration

  document .

  If it is not at hand during a police check at the border or abroad, there is a great risk of trouble.

• Check the protection letter:

  Does the insurance cover against stranding after a breakdown or an accident abroad still apply?

  Many car brands grant it when buying a new car and extend it with the specified inspection.

  Insurance letters from

  car clubs

  often not only provide financial compensation, for example for a car return, but also help with a service hotline in an emergency.

• High- visibility vests:

  In many European countries, it is compulsory to put on a high-visibility vest in the event of a breakdown – and to carry it with you in the car.

  A vest must then be available for each occupant and it must be

  accessible inside the vehicle

  .

  Five nice new waistcoats hidden under five suitcases in the compartment under the loading floor are no better than zero when checked.

Happy on holiday: With a few tips, the mood stays relaxed.

© Moodboard/Imago

• Small change:

  In Germany and some travel countries, toilets at

  motorway service stations are subject to a charge

  .

  However, modern people who only pay by card or watch are no longer used to carrying the necessary coins with them.

  So better keep a few euro and ten cent coins in the car.

• Pay the toll in advance:

  If you are heading towards Italy and have to pass through Austria and the Brenner Pass motorway, you no longer need to stop to queue at a busy petrol station for a vignette.

  The Austrian "Pickerl" can be bought online

  by entering the car's license plate number

  , as can the Brenner fee.

  Important: Private individuals must do this two weeks before the travel date.

  You should also make sure that you are really in the toll shop of the Austrian motorway company ASFINAG - and not on one of the similar-looking rip-off sites.

• Download entertainment: Music on the connected smartphone or

  films for the tablet

  are almost as important as enough snacks and drinks on board

  – especially when children are on board.

  If it only occurs to you on the way that you need entertainment, you may fail due to dwindling data volume or a bad network.

Those who heed these tips may not be guaranteed to reach their destination quickly and safely - but there is a good chance of it.