The ultimate road trip checklist: All you need for a safe and happy journey

The first step is to bring along all the documents you need to drive and/ or rent a car.

The required documents to drive in any country are:

• Driving license
• Vehicle registration certificate that proves the vehicle is legally registered in your country.
• Valid Green Card (International Motor Insurance Card) with coverage in the country you are about to make the road trip.
• Passport or ID for identification purposes.

In terms of what to bring when renting a car, the rental essentials are:

• Driving license (International Driving Permit is necessary to rent a car in a foreign country. The only exception is if you are an EU resident and you are going to visit another EU country, where you can hire a car for your road trip with your national driving license.)
• Passport or ID
• Credit card under your name (the main driver’s name).

When you hire a car, the rental insurance covers the requirement of green card and the rental company provides the vehicle registration papers.

Read: 13 car games for road trips to have fun in your excursions

The checklist for roadtrip includes all the things you need to have regarding car safety, operation and efficiency.

These necessary things for road trips are:

• Portable gas container
• Snow chains (unless the car has winter tires)
• Engine oil (for topping up if needed)
• Coolant for the radiator 
• Windshield washer fluid or just water (for wipers)
• Spare tire.

If you are going to rent a car for your road trip, then ask us about these essentials, which the cars in most destinations include.

Read: Which is the best road trip car? The top 5 suggestions regarding your travel style

Apart from the car essentials for road trip, it is crucial to inspect the car before leaving. The most important rental car safety tips are:

• Check the fuel level and fill up the tank before departure.
• Examine tire condition and pressure.
• Test all lights to ensure they are working properly.
• Check engine oil level.
• Inspect coolant, brake fluid and windshield washer fluid levels.
• Make sure the brakes are functioning smoothly without unusual noise.
• Test the battery and ensure it is fully charged.
• Confirm that your insurance documents and vehicle registration are in the car.

A road trip means you are going to spend many hours inside a car, driving or helping the driver.

So, your road trip check list must also include the following:

• GPS (This is an extra included in car rentals, but you can also use an app on your phone, but be informed about the roaming charges).
• Charger for your smartphone
• Sunglasses
• A bottle of water
• Comfortable shoes and clothes
• A phone or tablet full of entertaining music
• Trash bags
• Books and games for kids.

Also read: Should I rent a car for a road trip? The pros and cons

Last but not least, we created a checklist for road trip regarding what to pack in your suitcase:

• Toiletry: Face wash, face/eye cream, toothbrush and toothpaste, body wash and body lotion, make up.
• Sunscreen
• Emergency supplies for long road trip: Anti-nausea medication, anti-diarrheal medication, insect bite cream, allergy medicine, burn cream, blister plasters.
• Clothing and sleepwear
• Swimsuit

Check the best car rentals for road trips at Abbycar. Abbycar offers new and safe fleet with modern cars in various categories, such as family cars and SUVs which are ideal for a road trip. 

See Abbycar’s Road Trips ideas & routes.

Read also: The 5 most important tips to remember about car rental for road trip