Summer Travel Safety Checklist

With temperatures reaching triple digits, it’s extra important to make sure you and your vehicle are prepared for travel across the state during the summer months.

Before you hit the road this summer, make sure you bring:

• Extra drinking water
• Healthy snacks
• Cellphone and charger
• Jumper cables
• Safety vest and flares
• Flashlight and batteries
• First aid kit and prescriptions
• Road map (you can print one here)
• Small tool kit
• Extra radiator water (especially in hot temperatures)

Good news if you prepared an emergency kit for traveling in winter weather conditions: A summer weather kit contains a lot of the same items. Just swap mittens and warm clothes for an extra pair of light clothes and sun protection — whether it’s sunglasses, sunscreen, an umbrella, or all three.

It can also be a good idea to keep the blanket from your winter kit for kneeling on the hot ground to change a tire. We also suggest taking a small cooler with ice for your water and snacks if you’re headed on a longer trip.

Before embarking on a road trip this summer, it's a good idea to do the following:

• Fill up your gas tank
• Check your battery
• Check tire pressure and treads
• Check windshield wipers blades
• Check coolant levels
• Check engine belts and fluids
• Secure tow chains
• Make sure air conditioning works properly
• Prepare a summer emergency travel kit

It’s better to be over-prepared than in a situation where you’re stranded in the heat or rain with a dead battery or to unintentionally start a wildfire with a hot parked car or exposed rims.

These may seem like common sense, but a reminder for all year round to buckle up, put your phones down and not drive impaired — that includes driving drowsy! Always try to get a good night's sleep before a trip.

Find more road trip safety tips and resources at azdot.gov/Road-Trip-Safety. And, of course, you can always find the latest travel conditions, closures, restrictions, alternate routes and more at az511.gov or the AZ511 app.

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