A long car journey can be tiresome, not only for you but for the members of your friends or family. Being sat in one place for hours can be irritating and very uncomfortable, it’s often hard for young children to keep their mind occupied on long car journeys, and they tend to become irritable and temperamental. So not only do you need something to keep your own mind alert, but you need things that can entertain your children and members of the family while remembering to pack the essentials. What to take on a long car journey is always a difficult question to answer, but lucky for you – we are here to give you all the basic necessities you need to make your trip as smooth as possible.
Should I Plan What To Take On My Long Car Journey Beforehand?
Obviously, this does always help, although it is not a necessity that you plan in advance what you’re going to take. Most of the items you will be taking with you will be things you will think about packing without having to remember too hard. However, there are a few items that will most likely slip your mind, which is why we’ve made this travel list to help you out.
Start off with the basics, things that you use every day. If it’s going to be an exceedingly long car journey, let’s say to another country or so then ensure you pack things you use every single day. Items such as toothpaste, a toothbrush and a bottle of water so you can carry out simple tasks such as brushing your teeth (if you aren’t staying in a hotel).
So let’s get started, here are some of the most essential items you should take on a long car journey – that you might not necessarily remember.
#1 Food
This has to be one of the top items you must remember to take with you. You can buy food when en route, but it works out to be a lot cheaper when you pack food from home.
People tend to eat a lot more when they’re bored, simply because it’s there and it is something to do. So always pack enough food to keep your family full and happy.
Consider packing filling foods like pasta or sandwiches as opposed to a lot of snacky food that will not keep you filled up for long, a lot of fast food chains that you can eat while en route to your destination contain a lot of saturates etc so will not keep you filled up for very long.
It is so important you pack sufficient fluids for everyone travelling with you, especially if it’s a hot day although you aren’t exercising or moving about it is very easy to become dehydrated in a hot, stuffy car.
Pack things like juice and water, although it isn’t too bad or bank-breaking if you stop to purchase drinks on the way.
#2 Games/Consoles
Especially if you have children, not so much teenagers as they have things such as phones that they can go on. For young children, it is a lot easier for them to get fed up of being sat in one position for a number of hours.
Bring something like an Ipad or a device like a Nintendo DS for your child to play, listen to music or watch a film on to keep their mind distracted from boredom.
A game such as I spy can be played by the whole family and can help keep the driver of the car entertained while driving.
#3 Baby Wipes
These are a must for travel, whenever I have been on a long car journey these have been my saviour. With young children eating you are going to definitely need something to clean them and your car up with.
If you’re travelling in a hot climate, these are also perfect for in case the car gets hot and clammy, use them to clean your face hands and armpits, it’s also a good idea to carry a can of deodorant.
#4 Sat Nav
Even if you’ve been to your destination a million times, you should always carry a sat nav in case you manage to get lost on the way there or the way back.
It’s relatively easy to take a wrong turning, and all of a sudden you have no clue what way is left or right or where you are, so by carrying a sat van you have peace of mind that you will always be able to find a way back.
Although nowdays it is most likely easier to type your destination in on your phone and get directions that way, however, if your phone doesn’t do this then make sure you bring a sat nav!
#5 Dry Shampoo
A woman’s best friend, well not necessarily as men can use it too! Dry shampoo is great as it instantly refreshes your hair and makes it look freshly washed.
Packing this is always a good idea for long journeys in case you cannot shower every day so dry shampoo is most likely your next best alternative along with deodorant and toothpaste.
#6 Emergency Car Kit
You may or may not already have one of these, but they are really good to have in case of emergency.
They often include things such as jump leads or a battery-less torch in case your car was to break down, if you damage your vehicle our car body repairs in Milton Keynes can fix your car with ease within a 24-hour window.
#7 Anti-Travel Sickness Tablets
Anti-travel sickness tablets are always a good idea just in case somebody begins to feel a bit unwell along the way, particularly young children.
There are a lot of different methods to keep travel sickness at bay; you can get wristbands that apply pressure to a particular pressure point on your wrist that is said to stop nausea and sickness.
There are also tablet forms which typically make the passenger sleepy as well as prevent them from feeling sick.
There are also a few natural remedies as well, such as ginger tablets or cough drops that are meant to make you feel better if you suck them.
The last thing you want is someone being sick in the car – especially if you have to keep on travelling in it after its been cleaned up!
What To Do Incase Of An Accident?
In prevention of an accident you should make sure all air bags are on, all car seats if there are any are fitted correctly, and in the right position, everybody has their seat belt on and that you have checked your vehicle’s oil and water before setting off.
In the event of an accident, you should attempt to call 999 immediately if a passer-by already hasn’t, check for any injuries and turn your vehicles hazard lights on to alert other drivers.
You should always call the police even if the accident is minor and alert your insurance company immediately.
If you’re car suffers any damage our alloy wheel repair in Milton Keynes can have your cars alloy wheels as good as new within a 48-hour window.
Summary
So those are all the essentials that you should make sure that you pack with you when making a long car journey, there are most likely items that you personally would like to take with you that are not on our list, but these are what we would brand the essentials.
The main thing to consider when making long journeys is that you maintain hydration and that the driver is fit to drive, take constant breaks to reduce tiredness and if you do feel tired then pull over as soon as you can, because tiredness can kill.
We hope this article was helpful and that you are successful in packing your essentials for your long car journey!