Get Road Ready

Tips & Checklists

Keep these handy checklists on your fridge to ensure that you have everything you need for a safe and successful family road trip this summer!

Vehicle Checklist

  • Plan a budget

    Using websites like GasBuddy.com can show you where to find the cheapest gas stations along your route.

  • Do a thorough overall vehicle walk-around

    Check tire pressure, wiper blades, fluid levels, and belt and hose connections.

  • Antifreeze/coolant is especially important in the summer as it prevents vehicles from overheating

    Be sure the coolant reservoir is full, and if necessary, top off with North America's best-selling antifreeze, Prestone.

  • Change your air filter regularly

    According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Be Car Care Aware and Car Care Canada replacing a dirty air filter can improve your gas mileage by up to 10%. At $3.00 per gallon of gas that could mean up to $6.00 of savings every time you fill your tank! FRAM offers a complete line of premium filters to help save gas.

  • Keep your tires properly inflated and balanced

    This can improve fuel economy by up to one mile/nearly half a km per gallon/litre. Depending on the size of your fuel tank that could mean an extra 20 miles/32 kilometres per tank!

  • Check your spark plugs

    Old, dirty and worn spark plugs can reduce fuel economy by up to 2 miles per gallon.

  • Emergency Kit

    Create an emergency kit for the trunk that contains at least each of the following: spare tire, flares, bottled water, and a first aid kit.

  • Fuel additives are a very important part of regular vehicle maintenance

    Keeping the fuel system clean will improve vehicle performance and help improve fuel economy.

  • A speeding ticket is an expensive and unnecessary damper on any car trip

    While the best way to avoid this is to stay under the speed limit, you can also compare your route to websites such as SpeedTrap.org to see where some of the most heavily trafficked speed traps are.

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