The festive season sends millions of families on long drives — to hometowns, hill stations and relatives across the state. A little preparation turns a stressful trip into a smooth one. Here's the checklist.
The car
- Tyre pressure and tread — including the spare. Check pressure cold, before you leave.
- Engine oil and coolant — top up, and service older cars before a long trip.
- Brakes — any noise or softness gets checked before you go.
- Wipers and washer fluid — dust and sudden showers happen.
- All lights — headlights, brake lights, indicators.
- Battery — clean terminals, and a quick test if it's over three years old.
Documents and safety
- Licence, RC, insurance and PUC — digital copies in DigiLocker too.
- FASTag balance — top it up before you hit the highway.
- First-aid kit, torch and warning triangle.
- Jack, wrench and a tyre inflator.
Power for your devices
- Phone chargers and cables for everyone.
- A pure sine wave inverter — for laptops, cameras and anything with a normal wall charger. Choose pure sine wave for sensitive electronics (see what size inverter you need).
- A power bank — for stops with the engine off.
At your stops
- Park smart overnight — away from garbage and drains. Unfamiliar parking spots are where cars often pick up rats (see how rats find a parked car).
- Keep food out of the car overnight — snacks and wrappers are an invitation.
For keeping everything charged on the way, the EchoRepel 200W Pure Sine Wave Inverter plugs into the 12V socket and runs your laptop and camera chargers with clean power. Safe travels.