2020-04-01 Real Simple

3

PACK IT RIGHT

Look up your vehicle’s

GVWR (gross vehicle

weight rating) in the

manual to find out how

much total weight your

car can hold. Subtract

the car’s curb weight

and passenger weight

to calculate how many

pounds of cargo you can

add. Don’t overload your

car, which is bad for gas

mileage, tires, and safety.

When you pack, stow

heavy items low and

toward the car’s center,

putting progressively

lighter items on top,

Murphy says. This

method limits the dan-

ger from projectiles in

a sudden stop and, by

keeping the car’s center

of gravity low, can help

prevent rollover.

Prep for a Long Car Ride

Real Simplifier

2

PLAN YOUR ROUTE

Aim to find a single spot

where you can take

a break, get gas, eat,

use the bathroom, and

spend time outside,

Murphy says. Apps like

GasBuddy and iExit

(free; iOS and Android)

can help you locate the

cheapest gas stations;

iExit also shows places

to eat. The Roadtrippers

app (free; iOS and

Android) is a great way

to discover fun locales

that can turn a break into

a quick, family-friendly

diversion. On a longer

trip, take a break every

two hours or 100 miles.

It’s good for your body

and will make you a

more alert driver, says

Jeanette Casselano, a

spokesperson for AAA.

5

MAXIMIZE MILEAGE

Frequent braking and

accelerating can put a

dent in your gas budget

(and annoy passen-

gers!), so use cruise

control on highways to

maintain speeds. The

way you pack can also

affect mileage, especially

when you stow things on

the roof: Reserve that

spot for light but bulky

items, like sleeping bags

and skis, and consider

getting a RackSack

($230; weathertech

.com) or an aerody-

namic, hard-case roof

carrier to help your

fuel economy.

4

SET UP YOUR SEAT

Adjust the seat height to

keep your hips slightly

higher than your knees.

If you have bucket seats,

you may want to place a

cushion or rolled towel

behind the small of

your back, says Robert

Gillanders, a doctor

of physical therapy in

Bethesda, Maryland. The

steering wheel should

be close enough that you

can grip it without lock-

ing your elbows. The ol’

“10 and 2” hand position

is no longer considered

the safest, due to steer-

ing wheel airbags. Instead,

try 9 and 3. Once you’re

comfortable, adjust

your mirrors so you can

see out of them without

craning your neck.

1

GIVE YOUR CAR

A CHECKUP

Check your fluids (oil,

brake, transmission, and

wiper), tire pressure, and

treads, says Finn Murphy,

a trucker and the author

of The Long Haul. Assess

the wear on your tires

with a penny: Press the

“In God We Trust” edge

of the coin inside the tire

groove. If you can see

the top of Lincoln’s head,

the tire needs replacing.

If wiper blades make

noises or leave streaks,

get new ones before you

hit the road. “You don’t

want to find out your

wipers don’t work while

you’re on the highway in

a deluge of rain,” Murphy

says. Make sure your

first aid kit is stocked,

and program a roadside

service number into your

phone to save yourself

the harried wallet ransack

if a tire goes flat.

WHETHER YOU’RE EMBARKING ON A SPRING BREAK ROAD TRIP OR

JUST HEADING OUT FOR AN AFTERNOON DRIVE, THESE TIPS WILL MAKE

THE JOURNEY MORE JOYFUL AND LESS “ARE WE THERE YET?”

By Tove Danovich

11 SURPRISING GOOGLE MAPS FEATURES

Hover your phone’s camera here to read smart

ways to use the app for an even easier trip.

Illustrations by Sam Kalda

THE REALIST

54 REAL SIMPLE APRIL 2020

0420SIM.V1.indd 54 FINAL 2/20/20 3:16 PM