Each year, thousands of Brits head off on a road trip to explore some of the best destinations the UK has to offer. A trip on the open road can be exciting, fun and extremely rewarding. However, without proper planning it can also turn into an absolute nightmare. If you’re considering heading off on a road trip, below you’ll discover five things to do before you leave to ensure the trip goes as smoothly as possible.

1. Give your car a check up

You might be tempted to think that if your car has been driving perfectly fine up until now, why wouldn’t it on your road trip? Well, there are a number of reasons your reliable car could decide to play up on the open road. Firstly, it may not be used to driving such long distances. As you will be driving further than usual, it’s important to check everything is in good working order. As featured on the Consumer Reports website, you should check the oil, fluid levels in the wipers and give it a tune up. It is also a good idea to have it professionally checked over. Don’t leave this to chance as a problem with your vehicle would ruin your plans.

2. Pack an emergency kit

This may sound a little drastic, but in the event you do break down or something goes wrong, it really helps to be prepared. An emergency kit can consist of refreshments, blankets, a torch, a first aid kit and a few basic tools.

3. Plan your entertainment

If you’re taking a family road trip, it is extremely important to plan how you will keep the kids entertained throughout the trip. There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a car with bored kids. The Huffington Post has a few ideas of road games you can play. Making up games the whole family can get involved in is a lot better than simply giving your kids a portable console or iPad to play on. Playing together gives you a great chance to bond and enjoy some quality family time, creating a happy holiday atmosphere for the journey.

4. Contact your credit card company

A tip you don’t often think about is to let your credit card issuer know where you are going. This is because both MasterCard and Visa have specialist software which monitors their user’s transactions. If payments are made with your card in different places, the software could flag your card as being stolen. This would cancel the card, leaving you with no money.

5. Brush up on your Highway Code

When was the last time you brushed up on your Highway Code? Knowing the rules of the road is vital if you want to avoid large fines or potential accidents. You may think you know everything there is to know about the Highway Code but you might just be surprised. Taking a free online theory test will show you exactly how much you know and whether you need to practice before you leave. It’s a cost free way of shaking off any theory cobwebs.

These 5 things are just some of the important tasks you should do before you leave. If you want to make sure you have the most enjoyable road trip, you need to plan as much as possible for every potential scenario.