Many of us at Arizona Capital Insurance like to hit the road. We visit Sedona, go camping near Pinetop, hike parts of the Grand Canyon, and frequently take trips to Southern California. Sometimes a good road trip is exactly what the doctor ordered. But how often do you take a road trip and see cars stranded on the freeway?

Having good auto insurance is important. When your car breaks down or the windshield cracks, your insurance is going to cover the costs, that’s why you have it. Experiencing car trouble close to home is a lot different than breaking down 300 miles away.

The best auto insurance for a road trip is the kind you don’t have to use. With the summer winding down, you probably have just enough time for one more road trip. When preparing to take off, be sure to follow these standard inspection steps:

-Check the tires. Keeping your tires at the right pressure can help prevent blowouts, which is actually important when driving around your city. The last thing you want to do is call your insurance company to help you find a towing service. Additionally, your tire treads are important to watch. Did you know the State of Arizona requires your tread to be at least 1/32 of an inch deep?

-Check the windshield wipers. An associate of ours took a trip to Utah in early May. For us, the weather was already warm. But this associate entered the Salt Lake Valley in the middle of the night and ran into a snow storm. Unfortunately, she hadn’t checked her windshield wipers. Turning them on smudged wet snow across the whole windshield. Yes, you live in Arizona, but that doesn’t mean you can neglect your wipers.

-Check the oil. As someone who takes good care of your possessions, you routinely get your oil changed. But check it before you leave on your trip, just in case. Be sure to take extra oil with you. In one incident, a client of ours got an oil leak 45 miles away from home. Rather than calling a tow truck, she filled up her car with extra oil and was able to make it to the auto care center near her home. This saved her from making a claim as the leak was a simple, inexpensive fix.

-Check the A/C. This is not something most of us know how to do. But if you haven’t had your AC checked in a while, stop somewhere and get it looked at. Because we live in Arizona, we know how important a powerful AC system is.

If you’ve taken a road trip before, this might all sound like information you already knew. But there are a few things that your auto insurance won’t cover if you find yourself without, like: water, food, sunscreen, or a hat. So in addition to checking your car before your road trip, don’t forget to stock your car with emergency items that will keep you protected from the elements.

You’ve only got a few weeks of summer left. If you’re looking for something to do, consider a road trip. Just be sure to check the expiration date on your insurance card (so it’s up to date), properly maintain your card, and be ready for anything to happen.

Enjoy your trip!