A long drive with kids takes a bit more planning than popping to the shops. You want the car in good shape, the kids safe and comfortable, and everyone arriving without a meltdown (adults included!).

We've done some seriously long drives as a family, including 11 hours in one day on our European road trip, and we always do a few checks before we set off.

Here are the car checks we do before a long journey, plus our tips for keeping kids safe, busy and happy on the road.

Car checks before a long journey

These are the checks worth doing before any long drive. Most only take a few minutes, and they could save you a breakdown, a fine or a much bigger repair bill.

Tyres

Check the tread depth and tyre pressure, including the spare if you have one. The legal minimum tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm, but many experts recommend replacing tyres well before that.

Your car's recommended pressures are usually in the handbook or inside the driver's door. We keep a portable tyre inflator in the car, so we can top up at home or on the road without hunting for an air machine at a petrol station.

Looking after your tyres saves money too. Here's how to save money by maintaining your car tyres.

Oil and coolant

Check your oil level using the dipstick, with the engine cool and the car on level ground. Top it up if it's near the minimum mark, using the oil type in your handbook.

Check the coolant level in the reservoir too. Never open the coolant cap when the engine is hot.

Screenwash and wipers

We always top up the screenwash before a long trip. Motorway driving, rain and bugs in summer can get through it really quickly.

Check your wipers aren't smearing or split. They're cheap to replace, and you'll be glad of them in a downpour on the motorway.

Lights

Check your headlights, brake lights, indicators and fog lights are all working. It's easiest with someone standing outside the car while you switch them on.

Brakes and suspension

If your brakes feel spongy, squeal or the car pulls to one side, get them checked before you go. The same goes for any knocking or clunking noises over bumps.

These can be signs of worn suspension parts, so it's worth asking a garage to look over the steering and suspension, and pay attention to relevant parts, such as the anti-roll bar. A loaded-up family car puts more strain on these parts on a long drive.

If your car is due a service, try to get it done before a big trip. Here's why it pays to save money and stay safe with a regular car service.

Fuel

We fill up before we leave, so we're not paying motorway prices straight away. If we need to fill up on the way, we just do, but starting with a full tank takes the pressure off.

Check your breakdown cover

We always have breakdown cover, and we've usually had AutoAid for the UK. Luckily, we've never broken down on a long road trip, but it's real peace of mind with the kids in the car.

We did have one scare when we went to Barry Island in Wales. Our Mazda Bongo campervan wouldn't start after we'd parked in a car park, so we called out AutoAid.

Thankfully it eventually started, so we cancelled the call-out and managed to get home. But it made us very glad we had cover!

Now, with my newer car, I get Ford breakdown cover included as long as I keep having it serviced at Ford. So check whether your car already comes with breakdown cover before paying for it separately.

If the worst does happen, here's what to do when your car breaks down.

Breakdown cover for driving in Europe

If you're driving abroad, check your breakdown cover includes Europe. Some UK policies don't, and it's an add-on you need to buy separately.

When we did our European road trips, we had to get LV breakdown cover, as it was one of the only providers that would cover our 30-year-old Mazda Bongo in Europe. Others wouldn't cover a vehicle that old, so if you have an older car, check this early.

Extra checks for driving in Europe

Driving in Europe needs a bit more preparation, as you need extra kit in the car, like:

• Hi-vis vests in the car, one for each person
• A warning triangle in the boot
• A first aid kit

You'll also need a UK sticker, unless your number plate already has the UK identifier. Some countries need other things too, like headlamp beam deflectors, a breathalyser or spare bulbs, so check the rules for every country you're driving through. Here are some ways to save money on a European family road trip.

Keeping kids safe in the car

Car seats

We always bought new car seats. We didn't have a huge budget when the kids were babies and toddlers, so we only got basic, cheap brands, but always new.

I'd read that you should never buy second-hand, in case a seat has been in an accident and has damage you can't see. That said, we sold all ours afterwards, so there is a second-hand market, and you just have to trust people are being honest.

In the UK, children must use a car seat until they're 12 years old or 135cm tall, whichever comes first. Always fit it exactly as the manufacturer says, and check it's still secure before a long drive.

Honestly, it was so much better once the kids were out of car seats, and we didn't have to faff with them anymore!

Seat belts and child locks

Before you set off, check everyone's seat belt is done up properly. It's easy to miss when you're rushing or the kids are upset.

Use the child locks on the rear doors if your car has them, especially with younger children.

Who sits where

In our car, parents always sit in the front. The only exception is our son, who gets travel sick, so if he starts feeling ill, I'll swap with him.

If your child gets car sick too, sitting in the front, looking out of the window and having fresh air can really help.

Prepare for travel sickness

Make sure you have some leakproof bags or a tub of sorts in case anyone is travel sick and you can't pull over in time. As well as a towel or tissues, and water to drink. 

Never leave young children alone in the car

Even if you're only nipping into a shop or the services, never leave younger children alone in the car. Cars can get dangerously hot very quickly, even on a mild day.

Now ours are 11 and 14, it's safe to leave them in the car if they don't want to come into the supermarket with us when we're grabbing a few bits. They have the key, so they can put the windows down, and they have their phones.

How to keep kids busy on a long car journey

What keeps our kids busy has changed a lot as they've got older. These days, it's mostly:

• Headphones for their own music on Spotify, or watching things on YouTube, Disney+ or Netflix
• Phone games like Roblox, and our daughter has lots of animation apps, as she loves making her own animations
• Books, as our son loves reading and always brings a couple
• Plenty of snacks and water
• A pillow, cuddly toy and soft blanket on long journeys, so they can get as comfy as possible for a snooze

We play music in the front, but the kids always have their headphones if they'd rather listen to something of their own or watch something instead.

We each have mobile plans with a good amount of data, so streaming on the way doesn't cost us anything extra, and we've never run out. If your data is limited, download films and shows before you go, which also helps when signal drops out.

When they were younger, it was a different story. Here's how we kept the kids busy in the car with Over the Rainbow.

Plan your stops

On long drives, we always stop at services for toilet breaks. With kids, it's much better to plan regular stops than to wait for someone to be desperate!

On our European road trip, we once drove 11 hours in a day, from Germany to Bruges. We went via the Netherlands so we could see and drive the road that runs through the sea, but it was a very long day!

When we drove from Cornwall to the Lake District, we stayed overnight in a cheap motorway hotel, like a Travelodge or Premier Inn. It made the journey much more manageable, and meant we arrived refreshed for the first day of our holiday, rather than tired and late.

We've also taken overnight and shorter ferries on our road trips. They weren't really to break up the journey, as we had to get across the sea!

One last check: are the kids wearing shoes?

This one has become a family joke, but it's now on our checklist! We once packed the car to go camping, the kids had got comfy in the car while we were packing the last bits, and we set off.

When we arrived, we told our son to pop his shoes on so we could go and explore the campsite. He said, "I don't have any shoes."

We were like, what do you mean, where are your shoes? He'd got in the car in just his socks, and we hadn't packed any, as we'd assumed he was wearing his trainers.

So we had to drive off and buy him some shoes before we could do anything else! Now we always double-check everyone has shoes on (or at least packed) before we leave.

How to save money on a long drive

Long drives can get expensive, so here's what we do to keep costs down:

• Take your own snacks from home. Motorway services are expensive, and there aren't always many vegan options.
• Fill up before you leave, where fuel is usually cheaper than on the motorway.
• Check your tyre pressures. Underinflated tyres use more fuel.
• Book cheap overnight stays on really long journeys, rather than pushing on when you're tired.
• Check what breakdown cover you already have before paying for more.

That said, sometimes if it's near lunch or dinner, we'll stop for a takeaway at the services as part of the adventure. It's a holiday after all!

For more ideas, here's how to prepare for a family road trip and how to cut down car expenses all year round.

Final thoughts

A few simple car checks before a long journey can save you a lot of stress, money and time. Check your tyres, oil, screenwash and lights, make sure your breakdown cover is sorted, and get anything that sounds or feels wrong looked at before you go.

Then pack plenty of snacks, headphones and pillows, plan your stops, and enjoy the journey. It's all part of the adventure!