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There’s a lot to think about when it comes to preparing for a summer road trip. Before you pack up the car and head out, be sure you have these essential car accessories that can make your summer voyage much smoother.
Remember to pack those little things that are good to have but easy to forget. Here’s our annual list of summer road trip basics.
1. Roadside emergency kit
Do you have the essentials in your vehicle? Place a well-stocked emergency kit at the top of the road trip checklist–it’s easy to overlook in the excitement of hitting the road.
Make sure to include road flares, reflective triangles, jumper cables, basic tools, a flashlight and first aid supplies.
2. Cooling accessories
Accessories like sun shades for the windshield and side screens for windows help block those intense rays when your vehicle is parked and keep passengers cooler while you’re driving through areas of intense sun.
Consider a portable car fan. They clip onto the air vents and provide an extra cooling boost.
Also, there’s a wide array of coolers. Choosing the right one can make your road trip more enjoyable.
3. Charging solutions
Charging units are easy to use and just as easy to forget. Avoid the frustration of having your phone or device battery die when you need it most for music streaming, navigation, or other apps.
Pack a car charger that connects through the 12V power outlet as well as a portable power bank for recharging on the go.
4. Trunk organizer/cargo carrier
Reduce clutter and keep your vehicle organized so you can get to what’s most important: leaving room for new memories. Install items like a trunk organizer, cargo carrier, or even multi-pocket backseat organizers and foldable tote bins.
5. Electronics mounts
Of course, your smartphone for navigation is incredibly convenient and prevents you from drifting off path. Yet, holding it while driving is unsafe–and illegal in states such as California.
Keep your hands on the wheel with a secure phone mount that attaches to the dashboard or windshield. Consider: If you are driving through warm climates, window mounts attached tend to fall off if the glass gets too hot.
If you plan to rent a car, pack a mobile phone mount in your bags. Rental vehicles often do not have a place to conveniently store or display your mobile phone.
Traveling with kids? A headrest mounted tablet and holders help keep backseat passengers entertained with movies and games.
6. Dash cam
Dash cams capture quality video of your scenic drives and record memorable moments from your epic summer road trip.
And when accidents happen, drivers have different views of what occurred. A dash cam can help bring clarity to a series of unfortunate events.
Dash cam recordings can show what happened from your vehicle's perspective, preventing disputes over who was at fault.
7. Blanket
Summer nights can get cool especially in the mountains. Stow a blanket long with the rest of your travel gear. It comes in handy for drive-in movie night, camping, as a ground cover for park picnics or for passengers to get cozy during the drive.
8. Cup holder expanders
Cups come in many different sizes, from water bottles to coffee mugs and gas-station slurpy drinks—and sometimes they don’t fit your car’s cup holders. Avoid having to hold your drink or spillage with a cup holder expander that allows you to securely fit any drink container so you can keep your eyes on the road.
9. Car seat gap fillers
The gap in between your car’s seats and console seems to be a magnet for fallen items.
Avoid dropping food, valuables and money with an insert for your car seat gap. These cushioned gap fillers fit perfectly between the seat and the console attaching to the seat belt catch — preventing items from disappearing into your car’s black hole.
10. Cleaning supplies
No matter how tidy you try to be, spills, messes, and general grime accumulate on a road trip.
Make sure to pack car detailing supplies like travel vacuum, cleaning wipes, odor eliminators and even a car vacuum to help keep your interior looking and smelling fresh.
Add paper towels, hand sanitizer and plastic bags for collecting trash to your travel list.
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