Setting off on a road trip can be the perfect choice for your vacation. Whether you’re setting off somewhere which isn’t far from home just for a change of scenery, or you’re planning on crossing borders of new uncharted lands, it’s important to know exactly what you need.

It may be tempting to throw a few things in a bag and take on the open road without a worry in the world. However, since you’re going to be in your car for long periods of time and outside of your normal routine, you’ll feel much more comfortable if you prepare yourself by packing things which will make the journey easier. You never know what might go wrong, especially when driving on potentially dangerous roads. If you were to be involved in an accident, being prepared in first aid, perhaps learned by attending Oakville’s cpr training program, for example, could help you save lives. Even smaller measures like having the right supplies in the car could help prevent your trip from becoming a nightmare. Here are 6 things you’ll need before you put your foot on the pedal.

A Reliable Vehicle

Ensuring that you have a quality vehicle for your trip will give you the peace of mind that you need in order to enjoy yourself. What fun is a vacation if you’re worried about your ride breaking down on the way there?

If budget is an issue, think of it this way. You’ll save yourself a lot of money in the long run that you would have spent on costly repairs on the road. Driving long distances in unreliable vehicles may even lead to getting into getting into an accident and seriously injuring yourself. It’s best to play it safe.

Sanitizer and Wipes

Since you won’t always be able to pull over and find a real bathroom or running water, baby wipes and sanitizer will become your best friends. For environmental purposes, you may want to opt for biodegradable wipes so that you aren’t creating unnecessary waste.

The sanitizer can come in handy not only for any side of the road bathroom stops but also for whatever you happen to get on your hands from grease, to drive through meals.

GPS

While maps are still entirely useful, GPS is so accessible now that it’s the best option. If you’re traveling alone you can rely on your GPS to navigate you vocally so that you don’t have to look away from the road at a paper map.

Clothing

You will probably want to change your clothes at some point during your road trip, so make sure that you pack enough for the duration of your trip. Try to pack for a variety of weather conditions so that you know you’ll always be prepared.

First Aid Kit

You never know when you can get a cut, scrape, burn, or whatever other kinds of injury on the road. Packing a first aid kit isn’t expensive and will save you from potentially having to find a pharmacy open at odd hours of the morning.